Juri's Jaguar
by Major Mario
Summary: 3-4 years after the events of SSFIV, Adon, having learned humility, is in Japan for a small task. A run-in with Juri Han poses a problem for him, and he soon finds himself ensnared by her charms. However, instead of a cruel and violent shrew, he sees a changed woman, and she sees a king who's fallen from grace. Revised, and now with a new bit at the end.
1. Introduction

**Author's Note:** Greetings everyone. It's been a big pleasure to write this, and while I have been writing other things since this story, I have always come back here for reference. This character study means a lot to me, and my skills have improved much over time. I wanted to revise my first story, and so, here it is... completely revised up to chapter 10.

* * *

"Chun! Are you almost ready? It's about time to leave!" shouted a blond woman as she positioned her jade earrings.

"Just a few more minutes," came a feminine response from behind a closed door.

The blond woman shook her head.

"What's wrong anyway," she asked as she leaned up against the door. "Are you having trouble putting on your outfit?"

She could hear some rustling in the room as she looked down at her wristwatch, blowing a strand of golden hair that fell down in front of her face out of the way. Her brow furrowed slightly upon seeing the time. Looking back up from her watch she smiled as she found the door was creaked open with an Asian woman's head poking through. The expression on her face was one of mild annoyance.

"No Cammy, I'm not having trouble with my outfit. I just want to put on some makeup before we head out."

"Makeup? I swear you look just as lovely without it."

Chun-Li felt a blush coming over her and pouted lightly, her eyes darting about as she tried to not look at her partner given her current flustered state.

"W-well, it's not just for you Cammy; it's for everyone else too..."

Cammy let out a dry chuckle and removed herself from Chun-Li's door.

"Alright, but mind speeding up a bit? The wedding reception is going to start soon, and it would be a good idea to get there early for a good table, plus to look around and see our friends!"

Chun-Li smiled.

"You can't rush beauty, Cammy," she said with a wag of her finger. "It's a wedding reception; the least I can do is not go out looking like I've been training all day."

With that, Chun-Li ducked back into the confines of her room, busy with the task of applying makeup.

Cammy sighed looked around her current location. It was a good sized living room with a kitchen connecting to it, standard for the hotel rooms that the two are staying in. She maneuvered around the various couches, chairs, and other furniture of the living room to reach the kitchen. Lying on top of a kitchen counter was a white note with gold sides; the invitation to the wedding reception. Cammy reached out and read the first few lines, not even caring that she had done it twice before.

'_Alright... Wedding is at 2:00 P.M at the beach... Well, I missed that. Wedding reception is at 6:30 P.M...'_

Losing interest, the note was discarded on the counter. Cammy walked out to the balcony at the far side of the room. Placing her hands on the railing, she turned her gaze to Metro City below, searching for the community center that housed the wedding reception. After much squinting, she spotted the center near the beach, about a half mile north-east from her current position. Cammy placed a hand under her chin and muttered to herself like a commanding officer would when planning.

"The center seems to be a short drive away. Seeing as rush hour is over, there will be a significant decrease in traffic, but stop lights will be a problem, as will parking spaces."

"We could just take a nice brisk walk down there."

Cammy turned to stare at Chun-Li, and she went speechless at the sight.

Chun-Li decided to ditch the ox-horns hairstyle, instead letting her auburn hair flow down to her shoulders. Her brown eyes were trimmed with black eyeliner, with a touch of red at the ends. Her lips had a light red hue applied to them, giving her the appearance that she kissed a pink rose and drained it of its color. Cammy's eyes trailed down from her face to her dress, which was a light blue qipao not unlike the ones she usually wore when fighting. The accents on the qipao were not the same, however. Instead of a golden intertwining design, the qipao now sported many beautiful designs of red and pink roses, complete with light green petals. Her dark brown pantyhose were replaced with a blue skirt, also with more of the rose designs. Chun-Li still wore her long white boots though.

"Chun," Cammy managed to stammer, "You look... gorgeous!"

"Thanks Cammy!" she said, looking down at her boots. "No way was I wearing those high heels again. Good thing you didn't wear yours!"

"Well I was told the wedding was at the beach, so I brought sandals. You're going to have to tell me about it, since I couldn't make it in time."

Cammy had recently arrived from the airport, missing the wedding during the time she spent in a taxi-cab traveling to the hotel. She could only imagine what the wedding was like, and how people reacted to those who were being wed. While everyone would have been overjoyed at the thought of attending, Cammy found herself relieved that she wasn't present. She feared that she would reject their marriage. Chun-Li nodded and leaned against the sliding glass door of the balcony, taking in the sight of Cammy's appearance with a respectable smile.

"…Gorgeous, huh? The same goes for you, tenfold," she cooed.

Cammy's long golden hair was done up in twin braided pigtails that dropped past her lower back. Her face had no markings of makeup; she never really found a use for makeup except for covering up her dark brown scar on her left cheek, which today she left alone. Her attire consisted of a white blouse with a simple tan skirt. Cammy didn't have any other footwear save for her combat boots, but she scrapped that idea in favor of tan sandals.

Upon hearing Chun-Li's coo of appreciation, Cammy became visibly flustered.

"S-so, are you ready to go?" she stammered, maintaining eye contact.

"Yep, I see you're ready as well, so grab your coat and let's head out!"

"Right... You do know how to get there right?"

"Of course!"

Chun-Li bounded out of the room leaving Cammy to grab her red overcoat and run out to catch her before she closed the elevator doors on her again.

* * *

The sign changed to a white stick figure, signaling to the two women that it was safe to cross the street. Walking to the community center didn't take too long, as it was only a ten minute walk and the women were aided by signs pointing them towards it. During the walk Chun-Li filled Cammy in on the details of the wedding. Although Cammy and Chun-Li didn't know him that much, or like him very much, it seemed courteous of them to attend his wedding. The woman he married was someone the world knew, and the two enforcers had personally known her for a couple years despite never really enjoying that fact.

But things have changed over the course of four years…

* * *

_ Japan, 1 year ago._

A lone figure crept through the countryside, moving like a jaguar in its rainforest home. His hands, covered in white wrappings, gripped the landscape as he took the path less traveled. The path that was more traveled was littered with wooden posts and lanterns, and since it was daylight, he didn't want to be seen. Normally one for making himself known, Adon Montri wanted to know just what he would be getting into before he opened his mouth.

He had traveled to a mountainous region of Japan to watch a small dojo owned by a young Rindoukan karate fighter, Makoto. When he got to an elevated position, he saw her walking the path towards her dojo. She had changed since the last time he had seen her. She had grown her hair out to fall to her shoulders, not for beauty, but as a means to identify herself to others as a woman (She hated when people mistook her for a boy). Her feminine curves had finally shown through her well built body, further disapproving the idea that she was a boy.

Adon moved further along the hilltops to keep up with his moving target. She was completely unaware of his presence, and that gave him a proud grin. He had the upper hand here for once in what seemed like an eternity, but he wasn't here to pick a fight… at least not at the moment. That pride was short-lived, however, with the sound of a door closing rather loudly. Adon had pried his eyes away from Makoto long enough for her to slip into her dojo. He silently cursed himself and leaped to another hilltop directly overlooking the dojo.

Anyone within a mile radius of the building could hear several noises coming from within, including loud smacks, yells, and finally a very shrill scream. Adon raised his eyebrows upon hearing the scream, feeling a tinge of remorse for the poor sap who decided to face Makoto in a fight. Soon the door to the building opened again and a man in a bright pink gi was roughly thrown out by the owner. All pity was erased from Adon's mind as he scowled at the sight of the man.

Dan Hibiki, the man in the pink gi, had been coming to Makoto's dojo a few times each year to pit his own dojo against hers. Of course, neither of the owners had any students to show off or fight against. Dan was an overconfident, arrogant, yet utterly feeble character, unintentionally driving away potential students, while Makoto enforced a rather counterproductive policy of rejecting aspiring ones who were unable to defeat her first, and so far none have.

Adon leaned up against a tree and folded his arms as he looked down at Dan. He tearfully picked himself off of the ground and began to limp away from the building, muttering something about a stubbed toe and insurance. There was always something about that man that either brought a scowl or a smile to people's faces, whether it be his arrogance or his immaturity. Adon just couldn't stand him, and he wondered how anyone in the world could put up with him.

'_I can understand Ryu defeating Sagat, but you? Pathetic.'_

Soft footsteps were heard near the hilltop Adon was situated on. He avoided the urge to look behind him, instead opting to ignore whoever it was.

_ 'Hibiki's only student should be not too far behind him,' _Adon thought, twitching an eyebrow. _'Best pray she leaves me alone up here. Although I prefer the student more than I do the teacher, I can hardly stand either of them.'_

The sound of footsteps was getting closer. Obviously the person creating them had spotted Adon against the tree. He sighed and slowly slid down into a squatting position with his arms draped over his thighs like a jaguar lying in wait. He maintained his gaze towards the landscape in front of him as the footsteps stopped to his right. He felt someone give him a soft poke on his shoulder, and he twitched it in response.

'_The pink plebian's stupidity must have rubbed off on his student…'_

Whoever this person was, he or she -Adon was fairly certain it was Hibiki's student, Sakura- was very persistent. Another tap on the shoulder and he had enough. He broke off his staring contest with the countryside by lifting his head up and turning it to the right to look at his persistent poker. Where he expected the person to be, he found that whoever it was had slinked away before they were seen. From his position, Adon leaned out to his right to get a look behind the tree. He let out a grunt when he could not find the one who touched him.

Adon shook his head before he resumed looking down at Makoto's dojo. Anticipating another encounter with taps to his shoulders, he focused on the sounds around him, hoping to hear the person approach again so he could drive her off. Birds chirped nearby, a plane flew overhead, running water could be heard from a nearby stream, and most amusingly the whimpers of Dan Hibiki were still within earshot. However, Adon did not hear any more sounds from his tormentor. He sat focused for a few more minutes before he tried to convince himself that the person had sneaked away. The sudden weight on his left shoulder and the feeling that someone was using his head as an armrest told him otherwise.

Jerking his head to the left Adon was greeted with the sight of someone's baggy white pants and purple tights resting on his shoulder. Looking up past the flash of ivory he could see a woman's slender figure, covered by a small, purple breastplate supported by straps of ebony. The woman's skin was a light peach color, darkened by the shade of the tree. Her raven hair was styled into two horn-like ponytails that rested upon her head, giving her a menacing appearance. She also had small purple rings to maintain them; two per horn. What really caught Adon's attention were the woman's bright violet eyes, which were fixed on Makoto's dojo, just like his have been.

Adon sat silently, looking intently at the woman that sat on his shoulder as her hand lazily ran through his red hair. He couldn't place his finger on it, but he swore he had seen the woman before. He frowned. Now was not the time to be polite to this pest, but neither was it the time to pick a fight, at least not now when the violation to his personal space was small.

"Must you use me as your own personal stool?" he growled, twitching an eyebrow.

The woman looked down at Adon and giggled.

"Aw… The jaguar's all angsty today..." She leaned in close to his face and continued with a luscious, hooded gaze. "What's the matter baby? I thought you would have loved my company."

Her face was inches away from his, which was too close for comfort. Adon was able to get a better look at this woman's eyes though. At a distance her eyes, although an unusual violet color, seemed almost normal to him. Up close, however, he found a strange design embedded in the pupil of the left eye. It looked spherical, with half of the sphere sporting a dark color while the other half held a much lighter one. A yin-yang symbol. His own eyes widened when he realized something about the eye.

He had seen it before, and he had fought its bloodthirsty owner before.

"Wait just a minute... I believe I remember you..." Adon shifted away from the woman, causing her to sigh and stand up with him. "Juri Han, the woman with the legendary eye!"

The woman sighed and placed her hands on her hips.

"Is that all I'm known for, my eye? Baby, I'm hurt! I'm surprised you even remember me after three years." She waved her hand forward in a nonchalant fashion. "I thought you would have had trouble remembering me after that beating I gave you in that tournament."

"I never forget an opponent," Adon stated, folding his arms, "especially one that got lucky."

"Lucky?" Juri repeated, not really believing what she was hearing. "Oh please, you're still mad about that fight on the cruise ship? You were jumping around like an idiot, just as smug as ever after your little victory over Sagat. It felt fantastic to wipe that grin off your face, but knocking you around the deck with everyone watching was the icing on the cake!"

Adon scowled at her attack to his pride. A few years ago, such an attack would land one in the hospital with the retaliating strikes. If she continued wasting his time, he would have no choice but to take matters into in own hands. He wanted to strike her down, but now was not the time to pick a fight, especially with a dangerous individual such as Juri.

"What are you doing here? Just passing time before you pick your next victim?"

Juri was taken back at his question. He should have flown into a rage after her attack, but instead he held his ground. She leaned back and looked up at the sky thoughtfully.

'_Maybe he's changed, just like I have...'_

She walked towards him, her left hand busy twirling the black and purple belt that hung from her trousers while she pointed at him with her right.

"Well, what are _you _doing here?"

"I asked first, but since I'm so polite, I'll answer yours." Growling, he answered, "None of your damn business."

"Party pooper!" she said with a smile before she raised her hands in a calming, if not sarcastic, gesture. "Alright, alright, I'm just here to see an old friend of mine."

"We are not friends, Juri," Adon muttered. "I doubt you came here to just see me or that girl."

"But I did come here to see Makoto. We are actually pretty close friends now, ya know." She stopped in front of him and looked up at him. He was at least 6 inches taller than she was, much to Adon's relief and Juri's curiosity. Her belt slid from her hands as she added in a seductive tone, "Maybe we're a lot closer than… friends."

Adon scoffed at her statement.

"What makes you think that Makoto would want to be associated with a murderer such as yourself?"

"Ha! What makes me a murderer? You don't know anything about me, jaguar boy," Juri said with a playfully sad undertone, as if she was disappointed with Adon.

"On the contrary, I do." Adon sneered and looked down his nose at Juri. "After that fight on the ship I was stopped by that Chinese woman working for Interpol. You had quite the posse after you, Juri. Along with that Chinese woman, you had an American Air Force Major and some Englishwoman after you. I told the woman what I could about you, and she enlightened me to who you are: a murderous wench working for the same organization that hosted that tournament three years ago."

Juri frowned and furrowed her brow.

"So you talked to Chun? Well aren't you mister sociable! You did change after that beating! Is that all she told you?"

"No. She also told me about that little massacre you committed before the tournament."

She crossed her arms and backed away from Adon, trying to conceal her discomfort on the subject.

"So what? Stuff happens in that line of work. What did you think S.I.N did, take candy from babies?" To herself, she thought, _'I've already gotten over my regrets. You're not going to drag me back…'_

"You are still working for them, aren't you?"

Juri smiled and looked away.

"Not anymore. I've turned over a new leaf, jaguar boy. Where have you been for three years?"

Adon reeled his head back, laughing.

"Please! The day you quit S.I.N is the day El Fuerte gets better at cooking! You'll never change!"

The Korean scowled and looked back at Adon, whose ignorance was getting on her nerves. Was he really stupid, or did he just not pay attention to newscasters, newspapers, and local chatter? He needed to be enlightened, and Juri was just the person to take on the task. By the time Adon had stopped laughing, she was in front of him again, dangerously close. She glared at him while he stared back with a confused and slightly terrified expression.

"You know, I think there's a reason why you're being so thick-headed at the moment."

"Me? Thick-headed? What makes you say that, you witch?"

"Perhaps your little headband thingy is too tight. I hear they cut off circulation to the brain." Juri smirked and reached up to his head. "Here, let me fix it for you!"

Adon was taken aback by what he thought was an attack. He closed his eyes as he flinched, anticipating a slap to the face. He felt something slide from his head and through his hair, and he opened his eyes. Juri was standing farther away from Adon with a smug look on her face. In her hands was his yellow and blue headband.

She waved the article of clothing in front of his face, proud of her accomplishment.

"You want this back kitty?" She retracted it quickly with a giggle when he swiped at it. "If you want it back, you'll have to catch me!"

Juri giggled again and turned to run down the side of the hill, leaving a flabbergasted Adon in her wake. He quickly shook his head and took chase, cursing her name as he did so.


	2. Playtime

It took a few minutes for Adon to catch up to Juri. Despite a few threats about leaving the man in her wake, she did not lose him. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying the feeling of being chased. She would look over her shoulder every few seconds to taunt him before she ducked to avoid his furious swipes. After avoiding a leg strike, she gave a wild grin and laughed.

"Try to keep up here! I hope I'm not giving you too much of a workout!"

"Nonsense," Adon grunted, a few feet behind Juri. "I could get a better workout at the gym!"

Juri had led him away from the mountainous region of Japan, away from Makoto's dojo, and into the outskirts of a nearby city. Adon slowed down to gaze at the small city he was following her into. If he followed her any further, he would have to avoid the people during his chase and onlookers, should Juri turn to fight. If he did not follow her into the city, she would make off with his headband, and his pride would be hurt yet again. It was a trivial piece, but it had sentimental value.

"Hey! Jaguar boy!" Adon looked up at a very smug Juri Han who was twirling his headband around on her fingers. "Giving up? Come on, you're not done already, are you?"

"I'm just getting started!" he growled, raising a clenched fist.

"Oh please, like I haven't heard that one before," she shouted over her shoulder as she turned to run again.

It seemed to Adon that whenever he caught up to Juri, she would duck into another alleyway, causing him to backtrack to keep up. Juri, being smaller and much more flexible than Adon, was able to move much faster through the alleyways and side streets of the city. The two ran out of the alleys and onto a cobblestone street filled with pedestrians groggily making their way towards a morning meal, school, or home. Those few who did not have coffee on their minds were enjoying the sight of a shirtless, red haired man angrily chasing a very satisfied-looking Korean woman down the street.

Juri stopped in front of an old diner and turned to face Adon, who was pushing his way through the various pedestrians to get to her. She had his headband on facing the wrong way so she could play with the tail of thread hanging from it. Adon stopped a few feet away from her.

"Stealing items, stealing lives…" He reached out to grab her, but she jumped back away from him. "You've had your fun, now give it back!"

"You're right, big kitty, I've had my fun." She reached up to turn the headband around to be worn the right way and then she put a hand to her chin. "In fact, I think I'm being a little selfish! Did you have any fun at all?" Seeing Adon's dull, angry gaze, Juri shook her head and sighed. "Oh well that's a shame! How about we play a game? Games are fun, and if you win, you get your toy back!"

"Dammit." Deciding to humor Juri, he replied, "What kind of game are you talking about?"

"It's a fun little game that just so happens to be my favorite!" She began to circle Adon, looking up thoughtfully. "It requires two people and it can be played anywhere. The two players have to try to make the other player fall and not get back up. There aren't any rules, just do whatever you can do to the other player to make it so he or she can't get back up again if they fall."

"You're talking about a street fight, aren't you," he said, raising an eyebrow at her description.

The guests and workers at the diner stopped their conversations to listen in on Adon's words. They have heard of such fights before, ever since the last one that took place three years ago in front of the very diner they were eating at. The manager stepped out to bark orders at the customers and staff, hands waving and fingers pointing toward the two fighters. Customers and waitresses moved outside tables and chairs inside or up against nearby walls, away from the cobblestone street.

Juri stopped and let out a dry chuckle, unconcerned with the preparations that where going on around her.

"Is that what you call it? I had no idea that you knew how to play!"

"This is no mere game here, girl. Unlike in the tournament, street fighting here doesn't have any rules or guidelines."

"I know! Isn't it great?" She walked away from Adon, hands clutched at her chest. "No rules, no regulations, and no holds barred." Turning around to face him she added seductively, "Isn't that what every girl wants?"

"Yes," Adon replied. "Every psychotic, murderous scumbag would want that."

"You're one to talk, idiot." She giggled and readied her fighting stance, standing on one foot while the other was up and ready to be used. "Now stop gabbing and let's play!"

"Muay Thai against taekwando again…" Adon perched himself on one foot as well, bringing his arms out to hang in front of him and his hands to droop down in a claw-like manner. "This time, you won't be getting off so easily. I'll show you just how strong I really am!"

"Don't disappoint me," Juri growled, her tone dark.

Adon leaped forward into the air, eager to score the first attack. At the apex of his leap he flipped forward to drag his outstretched leg along through the air. Adon emerged from his front flip and brought his leg down upon Juri's shoulder only for it to be blocked by her arms. He grunted in frustration as he landed in front of her and began to jab at her sides with a few quick punches, which were once again blocked by the woman.

Juri continued to block until she found an opening through his offensive. After a failed punch from Adon was retracted she lashed out with a knee to his stomach, causing him to lurch forward. She raised her stance to kick him in the head, bringing her foot back afterword only to lash out again at his chest. She turned her body to finish with a heavy kick from her other foot, smiling sadistically as she watched him fall to the ground from the corner of her eyes.

"I'll try to control myself. Also, I thought a gentleman such as you would let a lady make the first move?"

Adon got up and began a series of low kicks to her legs.

"You are not a lady. That rule would not apply to you." Despite Juri's best efforts, he got through her blocks with a powerful leg sweep, tripping her and sending her to the ground. He raised a foot to stomp on her while she was down. "Who do you think I am, Dudley?"

As he brought his foot down, Juri shot her hands up to grab it and throw it to the side, sending him off balance. He backed away to regain his footing while she lifted herself off of the ground. Once standing, Juri lifted her leg high into the air with a dark purple trail following it. She didn't always have to do the motion to store energy, but she did it anyway to intimidate her opponent with her flexibility. With a grin she brought her leg back and spun around to let her collected ki energy flow out as she kicked at the air.

The purple ball of energy flew towards Adon and caught him off guard. He's had enough experience dodging the famous hadoukens from Ryu, Ken, and Sakura, his mentor's Tiger Shots, and the projectiles from other various fighters. Dan Hibiki's gadoken was thought of as a weird green light that merely tickled his skin, so he brushed his projectile off as a waste of time. Juri's projectiles seemed to force the victim to stagger, and their primary focus was not the infliction of pain but rather the preparation for more of it. Adon took the hit and reeled his head back in pain.

Juri wasted no time and planted her elbow firmly into Adon's stomach. She smiled when he keeled over from the blow, which allowed her to perform one of her unique moves. She brought her left leg up to collide fiercely with Adon's head, and the purple trail of her ki ominously followed it. Her right leg followed the left and added another devastating blow. This attack, which looked like a backwards aerial cartwheel, was called the Senpusha, but it was also known as her pinwheel kick to those who just couldn't pronounce it. Juri landed from her attack and watched in delight as Adon fell to the ground on his back. She dropped her guard and stood nearby with a smile and a twitchy foot.

Adon flipped back onto his feet and growled before performing a backflip to land against a nearby lightpole. With a yell, he leaped from the pole towards Juri with his right leg extended. His attack connected with her legs, seeing as the woman did not expect a counter-attack so quickly, and he crouched down for his next move. He jumped up and brought his right knee to collide with her ribs, effectively cutting into her skin like a knife and launching her into the air. Striking out with his other knee, Adon cackled as Juri was pushed away into the side of the diner. Her body impacted hard upon the brick wall as she let out a startled gasp.

Amongst the crowd of onlookers stood a young woman in a red shirt with her brown hair held up by a white ribbon around her forehead. Her white dog was on its leash, and it was sniffing at the various pedestrians. A look of concern furrowed the woman's brow, and she looked down to dial a number on her cellphone. She mumbled as she waited for the other person to pick up the phone. When the receiver of the call picked up, the woman began to speak to the person in a crouched position as she held the phone close to block out the sounds of the fight and of the onlookers.

Whoever this woman was, she was genuinely concerned about the two fighting nearby, or at least one of them. After a short while, she lifted her head to look at a nearby building, where she spotted a small camera on the wall. She nodded and spoke to the person again, watching as the camera began to move to focus on the two fighters. After a few more words, the woman closed her cellphone and stood up before attempting to move closer to them.

By the time the woman had finished her call, the two fighters were almost finished. Adon was on the ropes; he had been kicked far too many times by Juri, but she showed signs of wearing down too. She clutched her arm in pain and glared daggers at her opponent.

'_Alright... so you're a little stronger than last time, and more focused… but I bet I can make you lose your head!'_

A smirk played on her lips; she had a good plan to finish this fight. Dropping her arm, she leaned forward and put her hands on her hips.

"Getting tired?" she taunted before turning around so her back was towards him. "I knew you didn't have enough stamina to satisfy me!"

Adon growled and reeled his body back to prepare for one of his signature moves. Juri wasn't paying any attention to him at the moment, and it was the perfect opportunity to strike. He smiled despite not knowing this was Juri's plan. Overconfidence, cockiness, and taunting brought him down before, and now Juri will be brought down as well. Leaping into the air, Adon flipped over once with his leg extended; another Jaguar Kick, but this time it would be followed by two more.

"Take this! Jaguar Revolver!"

A strange ringing noise was heard from Juri, and she ducked to the left to avoid the kick. Purple energy radiated off of her when she moved, and an afterimage of her was left behind in her place. When Adon attempted the second kick, she dodged to the right and turned to face him. Her left eye glowed an eerie purple color, and she licked her lips in anticipation for his next attack like a hungry predator. When he performed the final Jaguar Kick, Juri darted behind him.

"Going up!" she cried as her glowing eye shrieked.

She struck out with a leg to sweep Adon off his feet. Juri twirled around, catching him again before he hit the ground, again and again, lifting both herself and him into the air with her trail of purple energy following her. After reaching a certain height, Juri emerged from her helicopter kick above Adon with her right leg, brimming with ki energy, held high. She looked down at him with a wild expression.

"Going down!"

In an instant, Adon felt an unbelievable amount of pain. Now hurdling back towards the ground, he managed to open an eye. Juri was no longer above him, but that did not concern him. What did was his impending impact into the ground, which would surely kill him. Unfortunately, he would not get off that easy. His decent was stopped by the act of one breaking his fall, or rather, given the force, his back. Adon had landed on Juri's foot, held high behind her.

She smiled and rose to look at Adon on her foot and found his teeth gritted in pain. He seemed to be doing whatever in his power to not let loose a scream of torment. Reaching up to him, Juri gently caressed his face.

"Hope you enjoyed your flight," she cooed. "I sure did."

She closed her eyes and slowly moved move her face closer to his, much to his surprise. Adon could only watch as she puckered her lips, as he too tired to fight back. The wait was killing him as well as the pain, and all he wanted was for it to end. Suddenly, Juri's eyes opened, and with another sighting of her psychotic left eye, Adon found himself crushed against the ground. A loud cracking noise was heard over Juri's sadistic giggles as the fanged beast blacked out.

"…Now the fun begins," Juri muttered happily.


	3. Cohorts

"You can't be serious," said a young woman with two long black ponytails, "you mean you've never even thought of it?"

Makoto shrugged, eyes closed in her meditation as she sat on the floor.

"I've thought of it before, but I just don't know how to do it." She opened her eyes and looked over at the young woman in her kitchen. "I don't use them that much, Ibuki, you know that. You'll have to help me out there."

Ibuki crossed her arms.

"You should have asked for help before I went out for work! It's not that hard anyway, unless you're one of those technophobes, which you seem to be..." She shook her head and moved to her red backpack on the counter. "Come over here, I'll get it set up for you."

Sighing, Makoto rose up from the floor and walked into the kitchen. Over the years, Makoto, with her best friend's help, had managed to spruce up her dojo, adding a kitchen, guest rooms, and much more, converting it into a house for her. If she was going to commit to her dojo, she was going to have to be closer to properly tend to it. Her money was gained from winning at numerous tournaments in Japan, and various odd jobs, one of which involved her working at a local school as a substitute teacher. Hell, she had the outfit and everything! She approached Ibuki, who was rummaging around in her backpack.

Ibuki had not changed from her 'valley girl' attitude since the last tournament. She had passed all of her exams at her ninja university, but just barely. After her graduation she set out into the world, determined to get distance from the other ninjas, especially Guy. Where she landed was not very far from her starting point. Living with Makoto was not the ideal life Ibuki had her mind set to, and neither was working for a nearby diner. Still, she was free from the instructors at the university, and enjoyed living with her friend, even if she didn't enjoy the same things as she did.

"Alright, I got it." Ibuki pulled something out from her backpack. "It was buried under a bunch of crap. Just sit up to the counter."

As Makoto did so, her friend walked up and plopped the device down in front of her.

Over the years, Ibuki had shown a fondness for technology, moving from cellphones to computers. She even passed one of her exams, one on observation, by using a small surveillance camera she had designed. Her knowledge of technology was somewhat lost on Makoto, who would merely nod and smile politely at her attempts to teach her, no clue of what her friend was saying. Makoto did understand some things were needed for her home, and she let Ibuki drag her into buying a TV, internet, and other various home appliances.

Makoto stared dully at the machine Ibuki had set down in front of her. It was small and wide; square in design, with a sleek surface. Ibuki reached over to flip it open, revealing a screen and keyboard; her laptop. The dark screen began to brighten up; bringing to light a graphical display centered around two crossed kunai. After a few seconds the daggers parted to show a white box for entering a password. Mumbling thoughtfully to herself, Ibuki typed on the keyboard, imputing her password.

Soon after the seven letter password had been verified, the screen changed to show Ibuki's desktop. She had a background image of three women posing for the camera in front of Makoto's dojo, the date in the bottom right-hand corner showing that the picture was recent. The woman in the left side of the photo had her hair held back tightly in a topknot, allowing two long ponytails to stick out high above her head and down to her waist. She wore a goofy grin as she stared at the camera. The woman in the middle was wearing a simple white karate gi with a yellow scarf tied around her neck. She had her arms crossed in an attempt to appear serious, but her facial expression betrayed her body language. Finally, the woman on the right was wearing a red and white track outfit with her short brown hair held up by a white headband.

The mouse pointer moved about the screen until it came to a rest on an icon of a globe. Ibuki double-clicked the icon, opening up an internet browser.

"Alright, what I want you to do here," she typed in an address, allowing the page to load, "is to create your own Facebook profile."

"Facebook? What's that?"

"Well, it isn't the act of smacking one's face in with a book, that's for sure. It's a social networking site, which you can use to keep in touch with friends and family!"

"And this will help me... how?" Makoto asked, placing her chin in the palm of her hand. She wasn't impressed, nor was she swayed just yet.

"Well, once you get set up, people who look for you on Facebook can look at your profile to find out where you are!" Ibuki smiled and clicked into a new page for new profiles. "This can be very useful, since the whole purpose of you getting on this thing is so you can advertise this dojo!"

Nodding, Makoto took control of the laptop, typing her name in a white box. With that logic, she needed no further incentive to use the computer. Advertising meant new students. New students meant income, income that could be used to further fix up the dojo and spread the name of Rindoukan karate. Her friend grinned and leaned back, folding her arms.

"Just make sure that when you advertise for the dojo, you put the address in!"

In a rare moment, Makoto's lips curled up in a malicious smile.

"Should I include free hedge clippers too?"

Both girls began to snicker, remembering Dan Hibiki's advertising blunder. Ibuki had found and made a recording of Dan's commercial to show to her friends, leaving them in stitches. Suddenly, the ringtone of a cellphone was heard nearby. The owner of the phone stepped away to collect it, pulling it out from the confines of her red backpack. She flipped the phone open and looked at the name of the caller. Smiling, Ibuki accepted the call.

"Hello Sakura!"

The answer was a loud combination of voices; it seemed that there was a crowd nearby. Sakura, the caller, replied in a cheery tone that carried a hint of uncertainty.

"Hey Ibuki! Listen, there's some kind of commotion going on down at the Red Lotus!"

Ibuki raised an eyebrow.

"The Red Lotus?"

"Ya, you know, that diner where you work?"

"Part-time!" Ibuki growled, as if it was embarrassing to even think about working.

"Part-time, right. Anyway, you have a camera planted somewhere around that area, right?"

"Yeah, I can look through it from my computer." She looked at Makoto, who was busily working on her profile. "Want me to take a look for you?"

"Please do!" Sakura replied on the other line. "I can't see anything from where I'm at! From what I've heard, two people are fighting in front of the place!"

"Alright, I'll get the camera up then." She strode over to Makoto and bumped her out of her stool with her hips. With a yelp of surprise, Makoto toppled to the floor. "Sorry Mak, E-mail address can wait, there's a fight going on in front of the diner!"

Makoto grumbled and got up from the floor, rubbing her rump and glaring at Ibuki. She was on her stool, typing in a password for a program with one hand and holding her phone in the other. While she was known for being lazy, the kunoichi was a force to be reckoned with when motivated. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, showing her mastery of the technology. Ibuki moved the laptop over so her friend could see a video of a crowd near the diner when she was finally finished.

"Hey, the camera is up and running," she said into the phone to Sakura. In an aside to Makoto, "Boy there certainly are a bunch of people there..."

Makoto nodded as she placed a hand to her chin. Just as her friend had said, there were a myriad of people of all shapes and sizes cluttered about in the street. The karate fighter pointed to a part of the screen, nudging the camera operator. Ibuki followed her finger to find Sakura crouching down in the midst of the crowd, head down with a phone in her hand. She patted her friend on the back and spoke into her phone once again.

"Oh, we see you too! Look up, Sakura!"

The woman in the red shirt raised her head to look around. She found the camera and nodded, pumping her fist energetically as if it was an achievement to find the machine.

"Nice, I see it! Now, can you move it to the left and tell me what you see?"

"My left or your left?" Ibuki questioned.

"Your left."

"Rodger that!"

Ibuki pressed the left arrow key on the keyboard, sending a signal to the camera. It swiveled to the left, showing the operator and guest the scene. On the screen were two people, a definite man and woman. The woman had a black and purple breastplate with white and purple trousers, while the red-haired man was not wearing a shirt, instead wearing only blue and yellow shorts. He seemed enraged while the woman seemed to be enjoying the fight.

"Alright Sakura, I see what's going on here. Juri is in a fight with some guy... But I don't know who though."

"What?" Sakura exclaimed from the other end. She sighed before continuing. "Oh dear… Thanks for the heads-up Ibuki, I'll take care of this!"

"Yup! See you two later!"

She closed her phone, ending the conversation. Both women were now focused on the video, watching as Juri sent the man off with a kick to his stomach. As the man got back up from the ground, Juri spoke and turned her back to him. The red-haired man jumped towards her, performing a front flip and extending his leg to smash into her from above, but she easily dodged it without looking. She dodged two more times, darting behind him and unleashing a flurry of attacks, lifting him high into the air out of the camera's line of sight.

Shortly after disappearing, the man fell back to the ground. Juri landed first though, sending the man a powerful kick to his back before he hit the ground. She appeared to be taunting him, keeping him positioned on her foot as she moved her face closer to his. Both women watching turned to look at each other, Makoto raising an eyebrow.

"She's a bit forward, isn't she?"

"Meh, I was like that too ya know."

"Before you found Yun, that is..." Makoto drawled out unenthusiastically.

"Yup!" Ibuki replied with a grin, oblivious to her friend's attitude. "He's awesome... maybe you should think about getting a guy for yourself too!"

Makoto scoffed and looked back at the screen.

"Yeah, maybe..."

Ibuki giggled and looked back at the screen. Juri had thrown the man off her foot and to the ground, and then she moved to sit on his back. Sakura moved through the crowd with a worried expression on her face as she approached Juri. Ibuki nudged Makoto, a box of popcorn in her hand. How she got that was a mystery, but Makoto had no intention of finding out.

"Want some? This will be interesting to watch!"

Her friend stared dully at her.

* * *

"Juri!" The woman in the red track outfit shouted as she approached her. "What are you doing?"

Juri pouted and raised her eyebrows as if she was caught sticking her hand in the cookie jar. She pointed to the red-haired man she sat upon.

"He started it!" she replied in a way that did not accurately reflect her age.

"Did he now? Judging by the fact that you're wearing his headband, I'd say he fought you only to get it back."

She took off the headband, twirling it around on her fingers.

"Well, aren't you smart? We were merely playing a game, but it got out of control."

Sakura hung her head and slumped her shoulders, realizing that an argument here wouldn't solve anything. She was usually cheery and optimistic, but the stress of college and training was beginning to take its toll on her. Add that to the fact that she was usually the one to mediate when Juri and Ibuki got themselves in tight spots, the optimistic attitude became harder to maintain. Juri looked to the girl for a moment before standing up.

"Chin up, will ya?" she said, placing a hand on her hip. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't kill him."

"Well that's good to hear… What are you going to do with him," Sakura asked, gesturing towards Adon, "now that you've gotten the last piece for your collection?"

Juri shrugged and nudged the man with her foot.

"Well Sakura, I was thinking of letting him stay at Mak's for awhile."

"You beat a guy up, and then you want to kidnap him?" Sakura all but yelped, struggling to find the logic in her statement.

She watched as Juri bent down to pick up the man and place him over her shoulder. The Korean turned back to Sakura and flashed her a sly smile as well as a condescending wag of her finger.

"I'm not kidnapping, I'm helping!"

"How so?"

"Well, Adon, that's this guy right here," Juri said, cocking her head at Adon, "apparently hasn't been watching the news for years. He believes I still work for S.I.N. and that I'm off doing dastardly deeds, stealing candy from babies and whatnot. Plus, I think I broke his arm..."

"So... you want Makoto to take in a crazy Muay Thai kickboxer so you can talk some sense into him?"

"Adon's not that crazy anymore," Juri quickly said without a thought. "He certainly was a wild and crazy guy- I bet he still is- but now he's calmer. Maybe even a tiny bit humble. I'm not the only one who has changed over the years Sakura."

"Well, what do you think Nikki?" Sakura asked her canine companion. "Should we let her try?" The dog barked and wagged its tail, circling around its owner. Sakura giggled before looking back up at Juri, "Alright Juri, I guess you can take him over to Mak's. Just, don't try to take advantage of him when he's like that."

"Please, unlike some girls, I don't go all out on the first date."

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed her way through the crowd with her dog heeling beside her. With Adon slumped over her shoulder, Juri followed her, grinning all the while. They made their way away from the city and back into the countryside without further incident. Soon, they encountered a small blue tent at the base of a hill overlooking Makoto's dojo. Nikki pulled Sakura towards the front of the tent and, without so much as a warning, she ran inside to sniff at a large bag.

"Nikki! Get out of there! This tent doesn't belong to any of us!"

Whining, the dog slinked out of the tent carrying a pair of blue and yellow shorts in her mouth. Her owner bent down to take the shorts away, thankfully without much resistance. She glared at her dog, wagging a finger at her in a scolding manner. Sakura then turned the shorts around to look at the inside tag, where Adon's full name was written. Juri noticed this and looked down at the young woman.

"Looks like this spastic gremlin set up camp here, close to the dojo."

"I hope he wasn't spying on the girls while he was here…" Sakura mumbled.

Although her friend didn't know Adon had been doing that, Juri did. She chose not to let her know, however, holding in a snicker. Giving the unconscious fighter a pat on the rump, she turned to walk towards the dojo.

"I'll get his stuff later," Juri said out of the blue. "Think you can get a sling for his arm once I get him settled?"

"Uhh... yeah, I think I can do that," Sakura replied, dropping the shorts and standing up.

Soon, they reached the front door of the dojo, where Sakura stepped up to knock on them. A few awkward seconds passed, and she looked back at Juri, who gave her a smirk. Anyone else would be suspicious of that expression, but Sakura knew it all too well as one of her sadistic smiles, one she usually gave to someone who was uncomfortable. Sadly, Sakura was already uncomfortable without the smirk. The door then opened, taking the young fighter by surprise.

"Sakura!" the kunoichi said from inside. "Nice of you to drop by!"

Ibuki stepped out and wrapped her arms around her, grinning. When she broke the friendly embrace, she looked at Juri, her grin turning into a frown.

"Aw Juri! You had to bring him along with you? Couldn't you have just, I don't know, left him back at the diner?"

"I couldn't have him running around with a broken arm. He'd go to the police, and I can't have that. You know that," Juri scolded. "This is my problem, and I want to fix it. Besides, Mak has plenty of beds."

Without another word, they walked in. They saw Makoto in the kitchen looking stumped as she worked on Ibuki's laptop. Seeing as the true operator was elsewhere, the karate fighter used this sliver of time to tend to her new duties. Hearing the door close, she looked up and dropped her jaw.

"What? Oh come on..." she mumbled.

"I'm afraid so Mak," Juri began, placing her free hand on her hip. She gave the unconscious Thai man a look before turning back to the tomboy. "I may have gone a little over-"

"A little?" Makoto scoffed.

"_Just a bit_ overboard," Juri growled, pinching her fingers together. "I got an idiot who needs information, and I wanna give it to him. Mind if I keep him here in my room?"

Makoto narrowed her eyes at Juri when she said where she would put him. Keeping a battered man inside a room occupied by a promiscuous she-devil didn't sound right. However, Juri had displayed remarkable amounts of self-control and was known to be responsible when the time called for it. The woman had worked in a cut-throat organization for a long time, so it was only natural to assume she had a firm grasp on almost any situation. Makoto was simply overreacting, and she noticed this after a few seconds of recollection.

"She broke his arm," Sakura said, pointing to Adon's right arm.

"And kidnapped him," Ibuki chimed in.

"Well at least she's taking responsibility for her actions… That's the bright side..." Makoto looked up at Juri and jabbed a finger in her direction. "But listen, he's your responsibility! I don't want any of you freaking out in this place!"

"I'll take that as a yes, then," Juri said triumphantly before turning on her heel.

She carried Adon towards one of the guest rooms located in the back, near the living room. She repositioned him on her shoulder before she opened the door. A large bed had been moved to the side of the room, near the door. The end table was stuck into the closet at the other side of the room, and the dresser almost fit within. Where the dresser would have been, there was a piece of white tarp covering the tan carpet. On the tarp was a three-legged object, but, given the lighting of the room, it was hard to see what exactly it was.

Juri carefully laid Adon down on the bed, smiling as she saw his chest rise and sink with each breath he took. For some odd reason, she found herself staring at him longer than intended. Her eyes swept over his form and took in the sight of his chiseled physique, his bandaged hands and feet, and his rough but oddly attractive features. He wasn't making that pained grimace, and he looked almost tame when unconscious, sort of like a big cat when sleeping. When she finally stepped out of her room, she saw Ibuki and Sakura mulling about around Makoto, who was still trying to figure out how to work everything on the computer.

"Alright, I'm going to go get his stuff from his tent now," Juri said, nonchalantly waving her hand. Her eyes narrowed as she continued, "If he wakes up when I'm not here, knock him out again."

The women nervously waved her off, hoping they wouldn't have to acknowledge her request. Or was it a command? As soon as the door closed, Makoto turned to Sakura.

"So, are you staying too?"

"I think I have to. I have to make sure she doesn't do anything to Adon that both she and he will regret in the future," Sakura said matter-of-factly.

"Hmph, now you're talking like that British woman," Makoto grumbled, referring to Sakura's friend in England.

Hearing the name of the incapacitated one, Ibuki piped up.

"So that's his name, right? I was wondering who that guy was..."

"Don't you remember him?" Makoto replied to her friend, wondering how someone could forget a man like Adon. "He throws his name out like it's going out of style…"

"I might remember some guy who was jumping around with red hair that looked like he got into a fight with a sander and lost. I just forgot his name, that's all," the kunoichi said unabashedly.

The other two women rolled their eyes. Ibuki gave a sheepish grin and nudged Sakura.

"Hey, what time is it?"

"Five minutes to six," Sakura said, looking down at her watch. "Why?"

Ibuki held up a DVD case from who-knows-where.

"I was wondering if we had enough time to watch this movie! I"

"What movie is it?" Sakura questioned, tilting her head in the same fashion as her canine companion.

"It's a long one; Resident Evil 5!"

Sakura took the DVD case and inspected it, beaming.

"Hey! I've wanted to see that for so long!"

"As have I! The movies are so much better than the games anyway."

The two women moved into the living room, turning on the TV and inserting the disc into the DVD player. Shrugging, Makoto stayed in the kitchen. She turned around and reached up to an overhead cabinet, pulling out a package of popcorn. Mumbling to herself, she opened the door to a microwave and put the package inside.

"Guess I'll make some more popcorn then..." she said unenthusiastically to herself.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Keep this in mind: This story takes place in a strange dimension where the _bad _Resident Evil movies are the _bad _games, and the _awesome_ games are the _awesome _movies. Now go punch a boulder in tribute.


	4. Explaination

** Disclaimer: I do not own Street Fighter, and I certainly do not own the characters. The story is my own though.**

* * *

'_Where...where am I?'_

This seems to be the first question anyone asks after awakening from unconsciousness. For the Muay Thai kickboxer, it was a question that needed to be answered. He stared at the ceiling of the room he was in, the only light being the moonlight coming through a small window on his left. Turning his head to the right, Adon spotted a closed door that was close to him. From what was depicted to him, he figured he was in the bedroom of a small house, and the day had ended.

Night had begun, but Adon had no intention of spending it in an unknown place. He attempted to move himself from the bed, but a sharp pain in his right arm kept him from making progress. A medical sling held his right arm, the white color shining bright in the moonlight. Growling, Adon swung his legs over the side of the bed, lifting his body up into a sitting position. He groggily blinked.

'_What happened to me... I need to remember what happened before this...'_

Adon managed to pry himself off of the bed, giving a low growl when he unconsciously moved his right arm. He shuffled to the window to get a better look at himself, and to find out where he was. A house was a good answer, but where was the house located? According to the large grassy hills and mountains, plus the lack of another building in sight, Adon deducted he was far from the cities of Japan.

Raising his left hand to his chest, he felt around for cuts and bumps. Seeing as his right arm was in a sling, it seemed obvious it was not his only injury. He tasted a copper-like substance in his mouth and cringed, realizing it was his own blood. Thankfully, whatever cuts that caused the bleeding had closed, leaving the man to simply swallow the marginal amount of crimson liquid to get that out of the way. Combine that with the numerous bruises and welts that were located in Adon's physique, he got the impression that he got into a fight and lost.

'_A fight... wait a minute, I think I remember that...'_

After cursing the wooziness in his head, Adon thought deeply for a moment. He remembered setting up a small tent near a hill, a meager meal that consisted of instant noodles, and taking a position overlooking a dojo. It was Makoto's dojo, wasn't it? He paced the room, paying no attention to the lack of furniture or the three-legged object in the corner. Yes, he remembered looking down on the dojo from above, but he was interrupted.

By who, he could not tell, but the individual stole something from him. Moving from his chest to his forehead, Adon searched his hairline. Aside from a handful of dirty red hair, he found nothing. This troubled him. Where was his headband? Along with his eight points of contact, his headband was highly treasured.

Given to him during his first week of Muay Thai training by his mentor, who viewed it as a mere trinket, the headband became very important. It was treated like any item received from a well respected person; well-kept and always near. When Sagat lost to Ryu, Adon lost all respect for his mentor, contemplating disposing of the headband and quitting. However, he had a better idea. His mentor had failed to uphold Muay Thai's honor, and he challenged him for his title as God of Muay Thai. Adon won, but an enraged Sagat did so much damage to him that he had to be hospitalized for months. Broken, but not beaten, the new God of Muay Thai vowed to become stronger. He still wore his headband, wearing it to spite his former mentor.

Yet, everything he did years ago seemed to be done in spite of him.

Voices came from the room next to Adon, startling him. There were people here, possibly the ones who took him in and assisted him after his defeat. As he walked to the door out of the room, he tried to remember more about his attacker. Nothing really stood out except for an image of two eyes; the pupils surrounded by pools of violet. Really, the whole ordeal was on the tip of his tongue, but he had no clue then.

Adon sighed and looked at the door, finding no door handle. There was a circle-shaped indent big enough for his fingers to edge into, which he did without further coaxing. It was a sliding door, typical in most Japanese homes. He slid the door to the left, opening up into a large room lighted by various lamps scattered around the surrounding walls. Given the paintings, small end tables, floor lamps, television, and three-seat couch, this was the living room of the house. Most of the furniture was made out of mahogany or teak wood, as were the sidings of the paper-like panels that separated the rooms.

Three young women were sitting on the couch, but they were too immersed in the visuals of the television to notice Adon had stepped out of the room. He craned his neck to look at what the women were watching, placing his left hand on the sliding door. On the screen were two people, a man and a woman, firing at what looked to be a large monster consisting of black tentacles in a dank basement. The man was large and very muscular, while the woman was small with dark skin. Adon thought that the woman looked just like an African woman he encountered years ago, although the woman he remembered had white hair, as opposed to the woman on screen, who had dark hair.

Ah, but the movie wasn't important to him.

Adon looked at the door before dragging it back through its slot to close off the room he came through. As the door clunked into place, he immediately felt three sets of eyes on him. He also heard a low growl, and he looked down to see a white dog sniffing his feet. Raising his head, Adon locked eyes with every woman on the couch. He could only recognize two from the three; the pony-tailed woman furthest from him didn't strike him as familiar. The woman in the middle of the couch was the Karate fighter he came here to observe in the first place, staring dully at him with a tub of popcorn in her hands. Finally, the woman closest to him was one that Adon recognized as Sakura Kasugano, student of Dan Hibiki.

Soft footsteps were heard to his right, and the women focused their eyes on the source of the sound. Adon, following their gaze, turned his head. He almost wished he hadn't, as whatever memory problems he had when he woke up were gone in an instant.

Standing not too far away from him was the woman with the violet eyes, and they were fixed on him with an almost greedy sheen to them. Her raven-colored hair flowed down to her shoulders after being freed from a horned style. A violet blouse covered her top. Unfortunately, it was open enough to show an ample amount of cleavage, further separating her from the other violet-eyed woman whom Adon remembered was not as provocative or violent as this one. Perhaps this was intentional, as a proud smirk was etched across her features, although that could be attributed to seeing Adon again.

"Juri," Adon spat. "I should have known you weren't above taking hostages..."

His left hand balled into a fist, which he sent towards his attacker. Shock gripped him when she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her, bringing his face closer to hers. Almost instantly, the woman's smirk vanished. In her eyes Adon could see disappointment as well as offence, as if he had wronged her in some way. Juri held his arm firmly and gave a cursory glance down at his feet before looking back up again.

"If you kick me, I'm going to break your legs," she threatened. "You know what? You're not gonna listen, sooo…"

Juri placed a hand on Adon's broken right arm and before he could even attempt to stop her, she began to twist it slowly. He let out a hiss of pain as he tried in vain to push her away from him. A hand came to rest on Adon's left shoulder, as did one land on Juri's. Both of them were pulled back, Makoto and Ibuki restraining Juri and Adon, respectively. Sakura stepped between them, looking at Juri.

"Woah! Come on Juri, don't make him stay here longer than needed!" She turned to look at the only man in the house, finding Ibuki to be having trouble restraining him with his broken arm. "You, uh, Adon-san! Please settle down, we sorta live here, and we're not hostages!"

The woman holding Juri mumbled, "He is..."

Her correction was met with a soft mumble of agreement, a confused look and two glares. Calm once again, Juri relaxed her muscles and turned to look at Makoto. The young woman got the hint and released her from her grip. After brushing herself off without so much as a glance in Adon's direction, she leaned into Sakura's ear.

"He's not going to believe you," she whispered before curling her lips up into a smug grin.

"Sure he will. Just watch, I bet he will understand," Sakura replied back in an optimistic tone of voice.

Both women looked at Adon and watched as his confused expression changed into an angry sneer.

"I don't believe you." Juri glanced at Sakura and gave her an 'I-told-you-so' look. Adon ignored this as he continued. "Either you women are ignorant, or you are the worst trio of liars I've seen! You're housing a murderer and a thief, and as such, I believe you three to be accomplices!"

Sakura groaned and brought a hand to her forehead. She gestured to Ibuki, making her release the man from her grip. Every woman in the room was focused on him, unsure of whether or not he would lash out at them. Animals did get angry and unpredictable when cornered, after all. Adon stared at Juri calmly enough, but inside he was seething. Suddenly, Juri spoke to the other women.

"He's going to act like this for some time girls, until I beat some sense into him."

"_Talk _some sense into him Juri," Sakura said under her breath. "But do that somewhere else. I don't think Makoto wants you two arguing here."

"Gotcha, I know exactly what to do." Juri looked at Ibuki. "What's the time?"

"Uh, seven-thirty, exactly," the ninja replied.

"Good!" Juri smiled and clasped her hands together. "I'll take him out and discuss the situation over dinner. It'll be like a date!" She turned to Adon and batted her eyes. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Adon was appalled by her idea. Anything was better than eating a meal with a murderous creature like her. He wasn't caged yet, and that gave the jaguar king some reassurance. He took a few steps back, unnerved by her expression. Ibuki reached out to grab him and put pressure on his right arm, although unintentionally. He growled in pain as she pushed him back towards Juri.

"Dammit girl! Careful with the arm!"

"Oh just shut up and suck it up."

His captor sighed as he was released by Ibuki, who, given her rough handling of him, seemed disgusted at his presence already. She blew a few strands of hair out of her face and turned to sit down on the couch.

"To hell with the idea that I'm eating anything you create," he exclaimed. "How would I know that it has not been poisoned?"

Holding up two fingers, Juri spoke in a disgusted manner.

"Two things. First, I'm taking you to a restaurant. You don't cook your own food there, idiot. Second, the cooks do not poison the food..." She crossed her arms and leaned forward. "...unless they are paid to do it, and I got plenty of cash to throw around. So, you can either stay here, sulking about as your stomach growls, or you can go out with me, and I'll fill you in on what's happened in the past few years as compensation for your broken arm."

To her, that was a good offer, but Adon didn't see it that way.

"I'm not hungry!" he snapped, almost sounding like a child.

A low growl was heard nearby, and the women looked over at Nikki, who was standing guard near Sakura. She looked up at everyone around her and yawned. The women waited a few seconds, hoping to hear the sound again. They did, and they soon found out that it was coming from the stomach of the only man in the house. A bead of sweat dripped down Adon's forehead. His stomach had betrayed him in the worst of times.

"It's no doubt that you're hungry after what you were eating before..." Juri pulled out a styrofoam cup with an image of noodles on the side, shaking it in front of the red-haired man. How she got that cup was a mystery to him. "You know, I heard that if you let instant noodles soak long enough, they feel more filling!"

Makoto and Ibuki snickered, unintentionally earning a punch to their shoulders from Sakura. Sure she wasn't under Dan's tutelage anymore, but she still defended him like any good friend would. Makoto grumbled and sat down next to Ibuki on the couch, rubbing her shoulder. Juri giggled and threw the cup over her shoulder into the kitchen as Sakura turned to Adon.

"Just give her a chance to explain herself to you," she pleaded. "Isn't that what Sagat gave you? A chance to explain yourself to him and apologize?"

Murmurs arose from the couch, quickly ending when Adon shot a glare towards the women on the couch.

'_Cursed child,_' Adon thought, frowning. A guilt trip was not what he needed, and neither was his empty stomach. "Fine. You've won, and I'll follow you to this diner. I am ever so eager for your words of wisdom, Mistress Han," he said sarcastically as he performed a mock bow.

"Good boy!" Juri said euphorically.

'Mistress Han' reached over and ruffled his hair with another giggle. Before he could even look at her, his vision was cut off by a shirt thrown to his face. He reached up to grab the fabric off of him, throwing it to the ground afterwards. Juri was putting on a pair of sandals with a purple plastic purse in her hand. She looked over to Adon and frowned.

"Put that on." She watched as he grudgingly pulled the shirt over his head. "Don't forget some footwear either. Where we are going has a no shirt, no shoes, no service policy."

Sandals were thrown his way, and he put them on as well.

"Judging by my name on these sandals, they are mine." Adon raised an eyebrow and jabbed a prosecuting finger in Juri's direction. "You stole my bag too, didn't you?"

"Maybe..."

She guided him to the front door as Sakura watched over them. Finding Juri capable of handling Adon, she sat back down on the couch with her friends to return to their movie. The Korean opened the door for her captive, half-expecting him to run off. Instead, he walked out and turned to wait on her like an obedient dog, although glowering at her all the while. She came outside and closed the door behind her.

"Excited to be spending time with me?"

"I'd rather have my leg broken," he retorted. "Let's just get this over with..."

"Alright then, follow me and keep close," Juri said.

"Keeping close to you is a surefire way to get injured again!"

His reply was ignored. His 'date' simply turned her back on him to walk forward along the trail away from the dojo/house and out of the mountains. There were lanterns scattered along the dirt path, all of which were positioned on wooden posts. As Juri passed one she turned her head to see if Adon was following. Seeing that he was not, she beckoned him to follow. He looked back at the dojo for a moment, contemplating staying back there. A loud click and the sound of a bolt being slid into place behind the door sealed his fate. Grumbling, he decided to follow her.

She led him through the night without any conversation, save for a few grunts she received from Adon as he followed her along the path. Soon they reached a city, which Adon remembered chasing Juri into. No one was being chased at the moment, so no darting in and out of alleyways. There were quite a few people on the streets attending to business of their own. They were either walking home or to various restaurants for a meal.

Numbers of people were going into stores and other buildings along the cobblestone street. One building stuck out. It was small building situated on a street corner with red neon symbols lighting up the front. Adon presumed the symbols were Japanese, since he couldn't read them. The only languages he knew were his native tongue and English. Juri seemed to know Japanese, as she stopped in front of the building and looked back at him.

"Well, here we are. The Red Lotus. Remember this place?"

"We fought near here a few hours ago," Adon said dryly.

"That we did, that we did," Juri reinforced, nodding.

They walked through the outdoor area of the diner, which had tables and chairs that were previously brought inside from the fight. Juri opened the door for Adon, stepping in after him. Scents of food and drinks greeted them, as did the well decorated interior of the restaurant. Various paintings were hung on the walls; some were photographs while others were painted. Juri looked at some of the paintings with pride for a moment before realizing Adon was with her. She refocused her gaze to the lobby before the man could question her.

A young waitress came to the two with a few menus under her arm. She bowed politely and began to speak to them in Japanese. Adon wished he had his translation book with him, but that was in his bag which Juri had taken. Juri smiled back at the waitress and responded, speaking fluently in the Japanese language. Hearing such a change of voice surprised Adon, and he gave the Korean an inquisitive look. The waitress nodded and turned to walk through the restaurant, leading the two guests up into the second floor.

They were led to a table next to a window that overlooked the street below, Juri pulling out a chair for Adon. He raised an eyebrow but sat down anyway. If one were to look at them from the street, Adon would be on the left side while Juri would be on the right. As Juri sat down the waitress began speaking to her, setting down the menus in front of them as she spoke. Juri talked to her for a minute before looking over at Adon. He could not understand anything they were saying, and that bothered him.

"Something to drink?" Juri asked him, repeating what the waitress had asked her.

"Just water," Adon replied.

She nodded and translated for Adon before throwing in her own drink order. The waitress nodded and walked off to leave the two alone. Adon picked up the menu, looked at it, and then quickly put it down after realizing it was written in Japanese. Things just didn't seem to be going his way today.

"So, tell me everything then," he said.

Juri looked up from the menu to stare at Adon. She set it down and replied to him.

"What do you want to know?"

"You said that you have 'turned over a new leaf'. You mean to say that you quit S.I.N?"

"Yes."

"How?" Adon growled. "One does not simply quit without suffering consequences. I want to know how you quit and why."

"Well," she began, folding her arms on the table, "my informal resignation from S.I.N.'s employee list... I'll be honest with you here. You know what Shadaloo is, right?"

Shadaloo was the name of the criminal organization that hosted street fighting tournaments. He remembered the name because he remembered his mentor joined its ranks, motivated by revenge against the wandering warrior, Ryu. But it was only temporarily. The man who led the organization was a cruel and evil being, a dictator who went by the name of M. Bison. Although never meeting the man in person, Adon did meet his two employees, Balrog and Vega. He nodded and allowed Juri to continue.

"After our meeting on the cruise ship I traveled back to the S.I.N. headquarters to return to Seth, the man I worked for. He wasn't a man, but a weapon." Catching Adon's questioning look, Juri waved a hand as she fished for words. "Uh… a synthetic human created by S.I.N. to create a deadly style of mixed martial arts. I get an upgrade to my eye first, and then I went to report in to Seth. Bison was there, holding Seth by the head. I didn't expect him to come after Seth, or me. I expected him to send that boxer or crazy Spaniard, but there he was. He looked towards me with those white, empty eyes and attacked."

Juri looked up for a moment, thinking of what to say next. It would have been a luxury to give him a condensed version that left out a few parts, but she felt Adon needed to know everything. A few years ago, she wouldn't be caught dead in a position like this. But here she was, ready to answer his questions over dinner.

"It was a tough fight, but I managed to beat him. I stood over his body and brought my foot down upon him one final time, ending his life. This wasn't a matter of doing my job, to protect and work for Seth, but to take over." Adon raised an eyebrow at that. Juri sighed and continued, looking out the window. "Bison was dead, and Seth lay not too far from him. He knew I was going to betray him, he knew it all along. I taunted him, telling him I just wanted to watch him and Bison go at it while I took over. He couldn't do anything as I knocked him over and destroyed the source of his power: a yin-yang ball in his abdomen." She looked over at Adon, stoic-faced. "Seth... was no more."

"So, you killed the man in charge of the organization that you worked for so that you could take over?" Adon questioned. "That does not sound to me like you quit."

"Yes, I did take over S.I.N.," Juri said with a pinch of shame. "I was the leader for a week."

"What? A week?"

The waitress came over with a glass of water for Adon and a glass of dark liquid, which appeared to be soda, for Juri. A plastic-wrapped wet napkin was given to both of them to be used to wash hands with. Speaking to Juri, the waitress appeared to be ready to take their orders. Neither of them had chosen anything yet since Juri was engaged in telling her story. She looked to the waitress and uttered a few apologetic words, sending her off.

"We need to make up our minds," Juri stated, returning her attention to the menu after washing her hands with the wet napkin.

"I can't read Japanese, but I'll take anything that has rice and chicken in it." Adon leaned forward, continuing to talk. "Now, you led S.I.N. for a week?"

"I think I can find something here for you and something for me…" She looked up at Adon from the top of the menu as if she had just heard what he had said. "Oh, yeah, a week. With Bison and Seth gone, as well as all of his copies destroyed, I was free to rule. I did as Seth did for a few days before ending it all."

That wasn't what Adon expected. The woman was a villain, a murderer, and a terrorist. If there was any semblance of doubt, Juri was still human. She must have done something to redeem herself to be sitting here in front of him, and it was enough to give the man incentive to ask the most infamous question of all:

"Why?"

"I'm not on _why_ at the moment, I'm on _how_," Juri scolded, gesturing with her hands. "Since Bison was dead, it would be obvious that he would return, be reincarnated due to his loyal lapdogs that are scientists. I convinced his two former lackeys, Balrog and Vega, to dispose of them and work for me."

She paused to point towards the wet napkin the waitress had given Adon, making a motion of washing her hands. He unwrapped the napkin and washed his hands, albeit begrudgingly as if he was being ordered.

"I offered them more money than what Bison paid them, but I also offered them something else: a chance at redemption. They stood by my side when I led the organization straight into the ground and took a bit of the credit for helping me." Adon put the wet napkin off to the side as Juri continued. "Now, how I put S.I.N. into the ground... Well, let's just say I called a few friends over to visit during a bad time." She looked confused for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "I don't recall if I called them myself or if I made someone I trusted do it."

Adon nodded, but he wasn't satisfied just yet. He leaned forward and shot Juri a skeptical look.

"Friends? Who?"

"People who hated Bison's guts, but cared about the information he left behind in Shadaloo and S.I.N. That would be Interpol, Delta Red, and the USAF. Of course, they didn't believe me at first. Why would they?" Juri asked rhetorically. "They thought they would be walking into a trap. Nobody wanted to believe the words from a 'monster'. But I gave them the location of S.I.N.'s base, and soon they were eager to visit."

Her glass soon became a little lighter as she stopped to take a sip of her beverage. She wiped her mouth before covering it to suppress the burp, and if she was embarrassed by that, she did not show. Instead, she giggled lightly before shaking her head.

"I caused a distraction. Being the newly appointed leader had its benefits, and one of them was access to the power generators of the facility. Shutting the power off, no, blowing up the generators was a great way to cause chaos and confusion, allowing the 'good guys' to rush in and lock the place down."

"Then what happened?" Adon asked, placing his chin in the palm of his left hand.

"They arrested as many people as they could, took all the data they found, and held the place. Hardly any shots were fired; these people were mostly scientists, not fighters. Those who did fight back were quickly subdued by the soldiers. Once they had things under control, they sent little miss Delta Red after me."

The waitress came back, but this time Juri had the orders for her. Soon the waitress nodded, having received the orders, and picked up the menus from the table as well as the used wet napkins. She walked away from the two and headed downstairs. No doubt about it, the sweet aroma that wafted through the restaurant had come from some kitchen on the first floor.

"What is Delta Red?" Adon inquired, looking up from his glass of water.

"It's a British special forces team," she replied quickly. "They sent Cammy to collect me, thinking I would put up a fight. Chun-Li came along too, possibly to assist Cammy. It didn't surprise me, those two were always together, despite the fact that Chun was in law enforcement and Cammy was in the military." Looking out the window, she continued. "Cammy hated me so much… more than Chun-Li did. I almost killed Chun once, and I used Cammy's sisters for my own benefit." She shook her head, looking back at Adon. "Anyway, they grabbed me, cuffed me, and prepared me for transport. I knew they were doing this so I couldn't get the jump on them, but I knew they were surprised when I just gave in. They did the same to Balrog and Vega, and I instructed them to give in too."

Juri stopped and looked down at the table without seeing it. After a few seconds of recollection, she spoke again.

"Delta Red had the honors of interrogating me, and Cammy certainly was looking forward to it. Unfortunately for her, her superiors knew of her desire for revenge against me and sent some other woman in a leotard to interrogate me. I told them everything they wanted to know, and the things I wasn't able to tell them were given to them by Balrog, Vega, or one of the captured scientists."

"What about your charges, and the verdict for those charges?"

"Yes, when I was on trial they read my case and my history. Almost everyone wanted me dead, or left to rot in some prison somewhere. However, since I brought down S.I.N. and Shadaloo, as well as killed their former leaders, the court viewed it as acts of redemption. I had large fines, but those were easily paid from the pockets of the organizations. I avoided prison, but landed myself in deep water. If I slipped up, committed even one minor crime, it would be the end of me. You know," she said with a smile, "I think Chun-Li might have vouched for me against Cammy's wishes." She sighed, moving on to another part. "Balrog and Vega got off relatively well, but Vega was deemed insane and had to be detained. Unfortunately, Vega got out in time, but he's followed around by a psychiatrist now."

"Wow..." Adon leaned back into his chair, taking what she said in. "You did all that?" He received a nod and a smile from Juri. "But… why?"

Now was the time to lay it down. Everyone wanted to know why Juri had done what she had did, and while she was getting tired of it, she wanted to make an exception just for Adon. So far, his behavior was acceptable. There were no insults thrown her way, nor were there any snide comments to sift through. The man deserved an answer as compensation for his arm and broken pride, but somewhere in the back of her mind, Juri wanted to tell him anyway. Perhaps he had grown on her in such a short amount of time.

"Simple. Revenge." She blinked once and took a deep breath. It seemed as if the events she was about to disclose were a source of great sorrow and shame for her. "It all started when I was fifteen. I had a fine life, living in South Korea with my mother and father. They loved their daughter with all their hearts, just like every other family loved their kid. My mother worked with computers and taught me English, since she knew that those computers from America were a great chance at a job. My father was a lawyer in charge of prosecuting organized crime operations. In that aspect, Shadaloo targeted my family. They kidnapped all of us when they only wanted my father. He wanted to protect his wife and daughter, but..." Juri lowered her head. "They killed him. Then they tortured and killed my mother, ignoring my screams of protest and my cries."

Dropping her hands from the table, she looked off to the side.

"Then they moved onto me. Those Shadaloo soldiers did many awful things to me. They tortured me, destroyed my left eye, and beat me without pause. If the eye, injuries, and death of my parents weren't enough, they also took something so precious from me, something that could never be returned or replaced." When she looked up she saw Adon giving her a sympathetic look. He knew what she was talking about. "After they had their way with me, they tossed me out into the cold, leaving me to die." Her expression became fierce and determined. "But I didn't die. I managed to find help, get treated for my wounds, and get back home."

"They did all that?" Juri nodded, calming down. "I... I sympathize with you. My parents died when I was young too, but from an auto accident. I cannot believe the pain you must have gone through..."

"Glad to know that I'm not the only one who experienced the loss of a loved one at so young an age." She smiled, touched. "I appreciate your sympathy, Adon."

A sheepish grin found its way across his face. She had said his name instead of sticking with some demeaning title, and for that, he began to give more respect her way.

"So what happened after you got back home?"

"I lived with my Taekwando instructor for years, training hard for the day that I would find the ones responsible for the deaths of my parents. I knew that it was Shadaloo's doing, and if I wanted to get to them quickly, I had to head straight for them. There was a fighting tournament in Thailand when I was nineteen, so, I entered." She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I didn't do it for the money, but for a chance to get into that organization and drive it into the ground. My chance came after fighting that giant man with the eyepatch, who I now know is called Sagat, your mentor."

Adon grumbled to himself, but let her continue.

"He thought I had potential, and I wanted to join, so he brought me in. It sort of felt nice, not being the only person with an eyepatch for miles. I passed all the tests those Shadaloo bastards threw at me, and I finally got to meet the man in charge of everything: Bison. He never acknowledged my presence, but I knew he was watching me. Hell, I would too if I was him. You couldn't be too relaxed when you've got the daughter of two people you killed running around," Juri said with malice. "For reasons unknown to me, I was transferred over to the weapons division of Shadaloo, S.I.N., where I began working for Seth. He saw endless potential in me, and I saw him as a way to get to Bison. Four long years I spent as his confidante and he rewarded me with his power."

She pointed to her left eye and on whim it activated to glow its sinister violet color. The eerie shriek that was emitted from the machine filled the room for a few seconds before dying out. Fortunately for the two, the waitress had not returned to witness it, and no one else was on the second floor.

"The eye..." Adon whispered, taken aback by the sight.

Juri quickly deactivated the eye and placed a hand over it. She shuddered a little at the euphoric feelings coursing through her body, but she maintained a clear head and focused. If she lost control now, it would be the end of her. Judging by her reaction, it seemed as if she hadn't used the eye for some time. Before Adon could wonder why, the woman spoke.

"The Feng Shui Engine, as Seth called it, heightened my abilities, especially my ability to displace ki energy. But what you might view as a gift now was a curse then. It consumed me, and I had one thing on my mind: power." She removed her hand from her eye, clenching a fist. "God dammit, I suffered so much when my parents died… My mind was a broken sheet of glass, and this eye only widened the cracks! I killed for fun and pleasure! No-one was safe around me!"

She took a breath and calmed down.

"Two more years passed and thankfully I could control the eye by then. I weaseled my way into Seth's tournament, which he told me it was to draw a man named Ryu to him, and he also told me there was a chance Shadaloo's leader would be attending." A cruel smile found its way back onto Juri's face. "Seeing as Seth couldn't stop me from getting into the tournament, he tasked me with getting rid of all the newcomers and those that weren't as important as Ryu or the World Warriors."

"So that's where you come into my life... to knock me out of the tournament so Ryu could advance without much trouble?" Adon growled, none too happy about this realization.

"Hehehe, sorry about that," Juri apologized, holding up her hands in defense. "Nothing personal, ya know? I always fight like that. If I scare the other guy into submission, it made the fight much easier."

Adon found himself accepting what she had said. He could even understand her reasons for her attitude all those years ago given that he acted in a similar fashion. He could be a loud, intimidating prick when he wanted to be, and suffice to say, such an attitude garnished him many victories. The cruel, sadistic nature that Juri brought to the fight had caught him off guard when he first met her, as he would have never imagined a woman to be capable of such violent tendencies. Ah, but he was arrogance incarnate back then.

"Mind games… Alright, I understand," Adon grumbled. "Back to the question."

"Oh yeah, right. Well, Seth wanted Ryu all to himself, but unfortunately life doesn't pick favorites. First Ryu loses to Ken Masters, then the winner drops out of the tournament because of some issue with his wife, and then Bison pays Seth a visit." Juri pointed at Adon. "If you've been listening, you would know what happens next."

"You defeated Seth, and took over S.I.N. But why did you run it into the ground?"

"So I could make sure Shadaloo would never recover. I had extracted my revenge on Bison, and so his organization had to fall along with him. No child should suffer the loss of his or her parents like I have."

Adon nodded, agreeing with her. The waitress came back with a tray on her hand. Steam arose from the tray, and when she set it down on a nearby table, the two patrons were able to see the delectable portions of food. She gave them their plates of food, bowls of rice, chopsticks, and a bowl of soy sauce for dipping. Juri looked to the waitress and smiled.

"Itadakimasu," she said, nodding.

The waitress looked amazed for a moment before she happily smiled back. She took her tray and moved back downstairs, leaving the two to their meals. Adon stared at his food, then at Juri's. It looked to be the same dish. What bothered him was that he had to use his left hand to hold the chopsticks. He grumbled and picked up the pair with his left hand, carefully picking up grains of rice, meat and vegetables. Between bites, he asked Juri another question.

"Where did you learn Japanese, Juri?"

She had already started on her food, and she was using the chopsticks like an expert. Nothing seemed to escape the two tiny sticks of wood when they were wielded by her. Fortunately, the rice at the restaurant was sticky, so one didn't have to pick up every single grain. She ate a good-sized portion of it and moved on to her main dish, speaking as she picked up bits of food.

"I learned it while I was in S.I.N. During those six years with Seth, I found that when he wanted to hide something from me, or when I pissed him off, he would speak in Japanese to toy with me," Juri muttered as she looked down at her plate. "All of the scientists around him knew the language, but I didn't. So, I read a buncha books about it, and I learned on my own time. Soon, I became fluent in Japanese, much to that chrome creep's dismay."

"What did you do after the fall of S.I.N?"

Adon asked this as he continued to eat, having some difficulty with the chopsticks in his left hand. He didn't consider himself as ambidextrous, but in fights he never favored one hand over the other. Sometimes a man just had to deal with the situation he was in to the best of his abilities. As he dropped a piece of meat, Juri scratched the back of her head.

"I had to stay in England, where I was tried in court, for a year. It was… eventful over there. Cammy was assigned to watch over me and to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. In essence, she was my probation officer. She usually thought up tough community service jobs for me to do, since she hated me so damn much."

"Surely you made amends…" Adon wondered, seeing as making amends got him out of the frying pan and allowed him to skip over the fire.

"She didn't want me to apologize to her. She wanted me to apologize and make amends to every one of her 'sisters', which were Bison's former dolls. I had used them as my own bodyguards during that important week in S.I.N." Juri rubbed her cheek as she recounted the memory. "Satisfied that I had been slapped enough by her sisters, Cammy accepted my apology. Other attempts at apologies were much easier. Chun-Li accepted it upon hearing that Cammy had done it, and Guile gave in when he found the body of his best friend in the labs of S.I.N."

"Guile?" Adon asked, putting down his chopsticks to grab his glass. "The professional American soldier?"

"You know him?"

"I remember seeing a soldier drinking alcohol in a graveyard somewhere in California. Would that be him?"

Juri closed her eyes and shook her head, smiling.

"That would be him."

"So, after that one year in England, then what did you do?"

She opened her eyes and looked at Adon.

"I went back home, gathered my things, and ended up here. As luck would have it, there was a fighting tournament hosted in Japan, so I entered myself in and did what I did best. I mean what the hell. I was bored, so why not?" Juri said with a jovial undertone. "Soon, I reached the finals, and my final opponent was none other than that spunky karate fighter, Makoto. I beat her fair and square, this being a mixed martial arts tournament anyway."

"Fair and square?" Adon repeated, skeptical.

"Well, I drew a little bit of power from the eye," Juri replied with a pinch of shame. "It wasn't enough that it was obvious, and it wasn't too much that I would go too far with it."

"I've heard she hasn't lost a fight for a few years," Adon stated, referring to Makoto. "How did she take defeat?"

"Very well, actually. She knew who I was, but after hearing my story out, she offered me a room in her little dojo." Juri made a 'tsk' sound with her tongue and shook her head. "Of course, there was a catch. It wasn't just Makoto I'd be staying with; it would also be with her friend too. That's the woman that you didn't recognize before, Ibuki. Since I had more money than those two combined, Ibuki was dragging me around the city looking for furniture and building materials. She had a friend that would stop by every now and then to chat or help out: Sakura."

"So you've been living with two to three girls for two years?"

"Correct. I know what you're thinking, and no, we're all just friends."

Adon chuckled.

"Even after you implied that you and Makoto were more than just friends?"

"I was just teasing!" She smiled and leaned back in her chair. "Still, I wonder about that girl. I'm not sure what she likes, but I guess only time will tell." Sighing, she looked at her plate and picked up some food. "Anyway, I've told my story, now it's your turn. I'm not asking for your life story or anything, but what happened to you since we last met?"

Adon nodded. It was only fair he tell his own story after hearing Juri's. He didn't trust her completely, but he did believe her tales. She seemed sincere enough, and he would have to admit that he did pity her after hearing of all that had happened in her life. She would never accept his pity, though. The woman had a great amount of pride, and it was probably on par with Adon's own when it was subdued.

"There's not much to tell. After I defeated Sagat in the tournament, there were a large amount of challengers willing to take me on. I fought well at first, but then I let everything get to my head." Juri rolled her eyes, an expression that would say 'typical'. "I was so focused in my goal of becoming a legend that I let my ego get in the way. Of course I wouldn't admit that it was my attitude that kept me from winning, so I set out to find someone, specifically, the fighter with the ten on his back."

Juri widened her eyes and gulped down a mouthful of food. She stared at Adon for a few seconds before responding.

"Why were you going after Akuma?"

"…You've probably heard of him, given your past connection with S.I.N." Juri nodded. "I went after him because I wanted that move… the Shun Goku Satsu. It was a selfish desire, I'm aware of that. I thought that one move would be all it took to give me the boost I so needed to become a legend."

Juri frowned. To her, it seemed that they both were on power trips. His was brought on by a strong desire to win, while hers started when that eye was implanted in her skull. His goal was to bring Muay Thai back to glory, an impressive one at the least, but his methods of achieving the goal were extreme. He must have been so compelled to win that he desired the Shun Goku Satsu to achieve his goal.

"I'm guessing you didn't find him, since you're still alive and sitting here today."

"No, I found him in a forest somewhere. But once I did find him, he was attacked by another fighter, who killed him in battle."

"Did you see who the other man was?" Juri asked, genuinely curious.

"It was a large old man. He fought in the same style as Ryu did."

The plate of food in front of Juri was nearly empty, just a few more bites and everything would be gone. She made motions with her hand, thinking as she chewed. Swallowing, she refocused her attention back on Adon.

"Large old guy… I've only seen two fighters that are really old. One was a friend of Chun-Li's father, and the other guy looks like he's over a hundred years old and partially decomposed. The second guy I only know of because Ibuki supposedly ran into him and took a picture." Juri waved her hand as if to dismiss that train of thought. "Anyway, continue on."

Adon had already finished his food. It wasn't that different from his usual fare that he set for himself. He suspected the restaurant staff wanted him to eat everything he was given down to the last grain of rice. Japanese cuisine was new to him, but he knew how to use chopsticks, and he knew how to clean his plate. He frowned as he spoke.

"When I approached him, he picked up the demon fighter's body and walked into the forest. I shouted at him, cursing whoever he was. Could you imagine the anger I felt at having been robbed? He stopped and turned around, giving me a stern look. He told me the power I sought was twisted, just like Sagat did; only this time I listened. I just stood there as he walked off with that dead body in his arms."

"What happened to you after that?" Juri asked with a tilt of her head.

Adon grumbled and looked away from her.

"I went back to Sagat…"

A giggle greeted his ears, and he glared at the one responsible for it. Juri shrugged.

"What? It's good you did that. My taekwondo instructor died while I was in S.I.N., so you should be glad yours is still alive and kicking."

"You're right about kicking," Adon muttered with a pained expression. "He wanted his title as God of Muay Thai back, and I agreed."

"Agreed?" Juri repeated.

"Fine," he growled in defeat. "He fought me and won easily. Sagat put me in the hospital for a week, which I figured was my reward for losing."

"Confining someone to a hospital bed isn't my idea of a reward, unless they deserved it."

"The last time I fought him for his title and won, I had to be hospitalized for months! I accepted my reward gratefully!" Adon brought his left hand to his forehead to rub his temples, sighing. "Sagat had training for me, and at first I was skeptical. He didn't doubt my abilities as a fighter, which was certain. What he had planned for me was to send me off to find every fighter I encountered and observe them. I'm certain this was his idea of telling me that the world does not revolve around me, and that others carry on, not preoccupied with thoughts of power or revenge. Once I had found a fighter and spoke to him or her, I would go back to Sagat and tell him about the journey and the fighter. He wanted me to get every detail I could about them, not for his personal use against anyone, but to make sure I was listening."

"So you've been traveling a lot lately." Juri leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. She rested her head between her hands as she looked at Adon. "Where did you go last?"

"I went to the western part of America. In the city of San Francisco I found Ken Masters and his family, as well as that American soldier. Things went well, despite a fight we got into when I first found him. I'm not sure if he wanted me gone, or if he was just being friendly, but he paid for my ticket to Japan, where I would find Makoto."

"And that would be where I found you," Juri finished.

Their food gone, the waitress came back with a bill and set it on the table. Juri thanked her for her service and watched as she left. The bill was laying face-down; it would have to be flipped over to bring the costs to light. Adon acted on impulse, putting his left hand over the bill. Juri's hand was there already.

Their fingers touched. It was as if a jolt of electricity had passed through them, as they visibly cringed, yet it wasn't a bad feeling. Juri had her eyebrows raised, as if she had not expected this, while Adon was looking into her eyes. He continued to stare, an expression of disbelief on his face. Juri made no effort to stop this, staring back into his eyes. Soon, Adon slowly withdrew his hand, looking down with a sheepish smile on his face. He forgot he didn't have pockets or money with him. Juri grinned and pulled the bill towards her, looking into her purse to count out the money.

"Look at you! Such a gentleman! What'd you do with the real Adon?" She looked at Adon and gave a sincere smile. "Teasing aside… I appreciate the thought, Adon."

He continued to look down, embarrassed. He didn't say a word as Juri paid for the bill and thanked the staff for the meal, and he didn't until they left the diner. Looking up at her, he couldn't help but smile. She was the first person (save Sagat) he told about his past, and she seemed to understand him. When she looked back at him, he lowered his gaze to his right arm.

"I noticed that my arm was broken when I awoke, no doubt it was your work. Who put it in a sling?"

"I did." Juri shook her head when Adon looked at her. "When I brought you to Makoto's, I asked Sakura to do it, but she forgot. So, I took the liberty of doing it myself."

Now there was a thought. She had the mind to bring him to shelter, fix up his arm, and feed him. These acts could have been done from the bottom of her heart, or she was only keeping the poor thing alive just to play with him. Adon was tempted to believe the latter, but after the stories he was told in the diner, he wouldn't expect that. No, the woman had truly changed, although not to an extreme level.

"I suppose I should thank you, Juri," he said with a smile.

They continued to talk as they walked back to the dojo. Adon told more about himself while Juri would add in parts of her history that hadn't been revealed to him yet. Despite the openness between them, Adon had the sinking feeling that Juri was hiding a few things from him. There were not any words of the moment they had in the diner with the bill, but in each of their minds they couldn't help but feel something for the other. Both had experienced pain, attempts at power, and redemption. Perhaps they had more in common than they originally thought.

Soon they reached the dojo and stepped inside. Makoto and Ibuki had retired to their room, leaving Sakura to sleep in a lounger near the TV. The power was still on, showing the main menu of a DVD. The TV turned off with the click of a remote. Juri looked towards Adon and gestured to the couch.

"Can I get something for you? A blanket, perhaps?" she offered.

Adon glanced at his bag near the couch. A blanket would be found in there, along with some bits of clothing and camping supplies. Juri bent over to fiddle with the zipper to the bag, fully aware of what she was showing in her position. Although she couldn't see him, she smirked when she felt his eyes on her. She stood back up and flashed the man a provocative look before laying a blanket down on the couch with a pillow. She also picked up his bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

"There you are." She wagged a finger at him. "Just so that you don't try to escape, I'll be keeping this bag in my room."

"I can just walk out the front door!" Adon practically shouted as he gestured to his exit.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The panels to her room opened, and she stepped through. She looked back at Adon as she closed the panels. "Nighties!"

As soon as the panels slid into place, Adon sat down on the couch. He scoffed at her statement.

'_Wouldn't do that if she were me... why? What in the world is stopping me?'_

He looked to the door. It seemed to beckon to him, inviting him to leave. Part of him wished to, but another part of him wished to stay. His question was answered when he looked to what was guarding the door. The white dog was lying nearby with its eyes focused on Adon. It growled, making Adon avert his gaze.

'_That dog should be muzzled...'_

Finding negotiation with a canine to be useless, Adon sighed and decided to sleep on the couch.


	5. Plans

** Disclaimer: Street Fighter and its characters belong to CAPCOM. It certainly does not belong to me.**

* * *

Morning came to Japan, and with it, a new day. Out of all the inhabitants of the dojo, only one was willing to get up to receive it. Juri stared at the ceiling of her room, head propped up against her hands as she lay back on her bed. Unlike the others, she had been awake for quite some time. Her mind was swarmed with thoughts, and her eyes darted back and forth as if she could see them flying past her. She finally sighed and did away with her procrastination to look over at the panels that separated her modest room from the living room.

'_Guess I'd better get up and get the others up as well,'_ she thought, blowing a small raspberry. _'Ah, the things I do to feel appreciated around here…'_

She threw the covers off of her bed and swung her legs over the side. A hand was placed over her mouth to quell her yawn as she stood up to stretch. She scratched her back and looked over to the only window in her room. Light was filtering through the blinds. Juri approached the window and removed the blinds, catching a glimpse of the approaching sun as it crept over the hills. She sneezed once and waited for her eyes to adjust to the light.

Placing her hands on the windowsill, Juri peered outside. Although the woman never really stopped to appreciate her surroundings, she had to admit things looked spectacular out in the mountainous regions of Japan. It couldn't hold a candle to the nightlife flair cities provided, but it was close. Flowers glistened in the light, the dew adding to the majesty of the plant's appearance. Crickets who had not noticed the rising sun continued to chirp. A bird flew overhead with a worm in its beak. Juri smiled at the sight.

_ 'Early bird catches the worm, as they say...'_

Her eyes snapped open and a devilish grin appeared on her face. She turned to look at the wall panels again, remembering the events of yesterday.

_'...and the spider catches the jaguar. Oh this is going to be fun...'_

Chuckling, she turned to walk towards the sliding door. She stopped halfway across the room, her grin disappearing. Something just didn't seem right at this time in the morning, and Juri wasn't willing to bet it on intuition. It wasn't a sense of foreboding either. A chill ran down her spine and lapped at her exposed skin, and it was then that she finally realized what the problem was.

Looking down, she inspected herself. After retiring to her room for the night, Juri slept in her nightwear, which was simply whatever she wore underneath her shirt and trousers. What she was wearing? Why nothing more than black panties and a bra, and she was anything but embarrassed at that fact. She thought about taking a shower this morning, as she always did. However, there was one setback… and he was in the house.

_ 'How am I going to do this with him here,' _Juri thought as she began to pace the room, referring to Adon. '_I could probably sneak out and get into the bathroom without him waking up, but I know he's going to wake up anyway once I turn the water on...'_ She approached the sliding door panels out of her room and stared at the small indent she would use to pull the panels away. _'Then there's the possibility he's going to stare at me when I come out with a towel wrapped around me,' _she thought with a furrowed brow. _'And if I know men, they stare when they see something they like. But they also do that when they see something that creeps them out… Ah screw it, I'm going out anyway.'_

Without missing a beat, she slid the door open and stepped out from the solitude of her room.

Adon was sleeping on the couch far away from Sakura, who was still sleeping in the recliner. His upper body was covered by the blanket Juri had provided for him, although just barely as a result of his tossing and turning in the night. She crept over to him, noticing his calm expression. His chest rose and sunk slightly with each breath he took. Unlike the last time he slept, which was technically about an hour of unconsciousness, this sleep was peaceful. Adon's expression reinforced that idea.

'_A smile? He must have found something pleasant to dream about.' _She tilted her head a bit, examining his lips. _'At least he isn't doing any of that cocky smirking in his sleep. He smirks too much... In fact, we both smirk a little too much.'_

Another small chill came over Juri and she shivered in response. Standing in the middle of a living room with hardly any clothes on did not grant her much warmth. Rubbing her arms, she reluctantly pulled away from the sleeping form below her. Juri slowly walked to the bathroom door next to Makoto and Ibuki's room and reached for the handle. Seeing the smile on Adon's face put a smile on hers, and as she turned her head to look back at him, a thought entered her mind.

'_He looks good with a genuine smile...'_

* * *

The sound of running water from a nearby room reached Adon's ears, and, like a jaguar, he was quickly roused from sleep. Finding it hard to ignore the sounds, he opened his eyes. He stared at the living room ceiling and frowned. Judging by the light that was seeping into the room, it was morning already, although the man had no enthusiasm for it. Groggily, he raised his left hand to his face and rubbed his eyes. He looked to his left and saw that Sakura was still sleeping in the recliner, seemingly unfazed by the sounds of a shower.

_'Kids…' _he thought sarcastically. _'Always staying up late.'_

Before he could even feel a tinge of schadenfreude at the thought of the young woman sleeping through the entire morning, her white dog growled at him and fixed him with a threatening glare.

'_Curse that infernal animal; it must have been watching me in my sleep!' _Adon yelped in his mind.

He began to think about the events that transpired yesterday: the trek to Makoto's dojo, the fight between him and Juri, and the eventual dinner he shared with her. Despite what Juri had said to him last night, he had not viewed the night out as a date. It was, for him, a chance for her to explain herself to him. His arrogant nature urged him to deny whatever she had said, but another part of him argued that what she was saying was the truth, that she had changed. He still didn't trust her completely, but that issue of trust would be worked out once he talked to the three younger women about Juri to verify her stories.

The sound of water flowing suddenly stopped after a few minutes of recollection. Adon raised an eyebrow, finding himself curious. No one else was active besides him and that damn dog, as everyone else was still asleep. Craning his neck to look behind him, he noticed the panels to Juri's room had been left open.

'_She must be in the bathroom,' _he thought, stating the obvious.

Suddenly the door to the bathroom opened. In surprise and fear of seeing something he probably wouldn't be allowed to see, the man resorted to an ill-thought out plan. He snapped back to his position he woke up from as quickly and quietly as possible. Out of the corner of his vision, he could see Juri's naked upper back. To preserve modesty and to prevent this story from getting a higher content rating, she was covered up in a towel… although it was from the waist down. She dragged the door to its closed position, paused, and then turned her head.

Adon anticipated this. He closed his eyes quickly, hoping she would mistake him to be still asleep. A long, awkward silence followed. With his eyes closed, Adon obviously could not see, but he could envision what Juri's expression was. He heard the sounds of footsteps as they approached him and managed to remain stoic-faced when they stopped at his side. It took every nerve he had to not make a motion with her nearby. The only movement she would receive would be the natural breathing routine all humans were capable of.

He felt her get close… too close. Did she know that he was awake? The eye combined with her natural powers made her a force to be reckoned with, but she was still human, and thus, she could be fooled. Adon felt her warm breath against his skin. Something small and moist landed on his forehead, naturally making him cringe. It was probably a drop of water from the shower, but just where did it slide from?

Juri lingered for a while longer as she continued to lean over his supposedly still sleeping form. Luckily, she left before Adon felt the urge to give up. He felt her leave and mentally cheered, yet some part of him wanted her to stay there, although that part also wanted to look at her without the fear of death. Hardly anyone wanted to stay around that woman long enough to understand her. Once the panels to Juri's room closed did Adon let loose a sigh of relief. He brought his left hand up to his face and kept it there while he thought.

'_That was too close... Why do I have the feeling she was going to do more than just get near me?' _His hand slid down to reveal his eyes, which were comically wide with nervous wonder. _'What if she caught me looking?'_ He sat up and blinked a few times before frowning. _'__She's a woman, Adon,' _he thought to himself._'Women don't like it when men stare at them. Well, actually, they don't like it when they catch you staring. She would have minded if I looked at her like that.'_

* * *

'_I wouldn't care if you looked at me like this,' _Juri thought out of the blue as she slipped on some clothing. A provocative grin edged its way onto her face as she glanced over to her door. _'I knew you were awake, Adon... Did you like what you saw? I could always offer more.' _She caught her thoughts and blushed before cursing herself for thinking that. _'Easy girl... he's not that kind of man. He's more concerned with Muay Thai to be chasing tail, although I hope I'm wrong. Even if he did see, he wouldn't admit it, and he'd probably be ashamed of himself.'_

Juri finished putting on her clothes. She had decided on a more casual look instead of her usual attire, although she was tempted to wear some article of clothing from her iconic outfit. Although that part of her life was over, she felt oddly reassured when she wore something from her S.I.N. outfit, as if wearing it allowed her to deal with whatever challenge was thrown her way. She shook her head to clear that thought before she moved to her large closet and opened it. Hidden behind the closet doors was a vanity that, unlike her dresser, which stuck out from the closet like a hippopotamus in a telephone booth, contorted perfectly within the confined space.

She placed a hand to her chin and mulled over what to do with herself as she looked into the vanity's mirror. Unlike some people, she wasn't obsessed with her looks. She did like looking good, but she mostly liked looking fierce to intimidate, hence the side-horns she had in her hair when she fought. Her fingers ran through her hair for a moment as she contemplated what to do with it. Before she could make a decision, she heard a growl from the other room followed by an agitated grumble.

"What did I ever do to you, you mangy little fleabag?" Adon said from the living room.

A smile found its way onto the Korean's face upon hearing that. She quickly did her hair- leaving it down instead of in a style- and stepped out of her room. Adon was backing away from Nikki, who was growling menacingly at him. Sakura had awoken and she quickly scolded her dog before the creature could do anything more to the male guest. Adon enjoyed animals, but he hated dogs. He figured it was because he chose a big cat as his animal of Muay Thai that dogs never really greeted him in a friendly manner. Unbeknownst to him as he continued to back away, Juri was right behind him.

Adon felt his uncovered back brush against cotton fabric, and to his embarrassment, someone's ample chest. As if he couldn't believe what had just happened, he remained where he was with an expression of disbelief. A pair of hands rested on his shoulders and gently kneaded his skin, which earned the owner of said hands a shudder from her victim. Adon brushed the hands off him and turned to face Juri, who he noticed had a sly smile on her face. Why she derived such pleasure from those who were uncomfortable was a mystery, but… as long as she was happy…

"Well, good morning to you too kitty," Juri said. "Enjoy your little catnap?"

Adon frowned. If his arm wasn't broken, he would have crossed it with his other.

"Why do you call me that?"

"Call you what, kitty?"

"That!" Adon exclaimed, scowling. "What makes you call me that?"

His captor chuckled and shook her head.

"That's your animal isn't it? A cat?"

"Not just a cat," he said, standing tall with pride. "The mighty jaguar."

"Ah," Juri replied with a rise of her chin, "so that's why you were always yelling 'Jaguar kick', 'Rising jaguar', and yesterday when we were fighting, 'Jaguar sleepover'."

"It's 'Jaguar Revolver', woman..."

Juri shrugged and moved past Adon to the kitchen.

"I like the other name better," she said, placing her hands on a counter. She looked at Adon and leaned back a little. "Say, you hungry?"

She saw Adon cringe and stare at the ground. Last night he showed how he hated the idea of eating anything that Juri would create. He did humor Juri by going out to eat with her, thus learning of her troubled past and her redemption. Would it be so hard for him to accept an offer for food from Juri? Then again, this was Adon, and that name was synonymous with pride.

"I promise there won't be any poisoning."

Adon smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, alright then..."

The panels to Makoto's room opened to reveal a groggy-looking karate fighter. She rubbed her eyes and yawned before raising her arms to stretch. Ibuki appeared behind her, half-asleep and dressed in pajamas. Gently pushing Makoto aside, she walked into the living room without as much as a mumble. The ninja opened the door to the bathroom and closed it behind her.

"Eggs and toast?" Juri asked Adon.

"That sounds fine," Adon replied, approaching the counter.

"Alright, I'll make a batch then."

She turned around and took out a frying pan from an overhead cupboard. Next, she walked to the refrigerator to pull out a container of eggs and a bag of bread. The stove turned on at her command and she set the pan on a burner. Makoto sat up to the counter next to Adon. She hardly paid any attention to him in her groggy state. The only thing she did to announce her presence was a grunt.

Juri turned her head to look at her as she cracked open an egg.

"Morning Mak. Sleep well?"

She received a grunt in reply.

"Stayed up late to watch that movie I see..."

Sakura was waiting patiently by the bathroom door. She looked over to Adon and Juri.

"So... how was last night for you two," she asked, rubbing her head. "Did Juri clear everything up with you, Adon-san?"

"Yes," he replied, noticing the honorific. Although everyone called his mentor by his last name, Adon preferred his first name to be used. "She did."

"That's good to hear."

The sounds of a shower filled the silence that transpired from the small conversation, that, and the sounds of eggs sizzling on a frying pan. Juri peered over her shoulder at Adon, who was gazing at her intently. Having made eye contact, they quickly looked away. Juri smiled and felt a bit of blood rush into her cheeks. Adon did not see her blush. His attention was focused towards Makoto, who was staring at him oddly.

"...How do you get your hair like that?"

Adon raised an eyebrow at her and opened his mouth to say something, but a question from Juri saved him from having to answer Makoto's.

"So Mak, got any plans for today?"

"Well," Makoto mumbled, looking away. "I don't have to substitute today, since today is Saturday, correct?"

"Right," Juri answered.

"I don't have anything to do today I guess... except train and wait for challengers."

"Hmm... What's Ibuki doing then?"

"I'm heading out," Ibuki cheerfully exclaimed, stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. "I'm going to spend some time with Yun before I have to work today. Maybe get in some shopping as well, if Yun's up for it."

The ninja walked past Sakura and into her room before closing the panels behind her. Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the bathroom which left Nikki alone in the living room. Adon tried not to look at the white creature and the snarl on its muzzle, which was without a doubt directed towards him. Makoto looked at Juri quizzically, if not suspiciously.

"Why do you want to know what we're doing?"

Juri set down a plate of eggs and toast in front of Adon and Makoto as well as a few eating utensils. Adon looked at his meal, then back up at Juri. He gave an embarrassed grin.

"Uh... thank you, Juri."

She smiled.

"My pleasure. Maybe you should go out with Ibuki, Makoto," Juri said, turning around to continue cooking.

"Why?" Makoto asked, shoveling food into her mouth. "She has Yun to go out with."

"That's the point. Ibuki is going out with Yun, and he has a brother named Yang." She added more eggs to the frying pan as she continued. "I know Ibuki tried to get you involved in some weird online dating thing a few days ago, and I'm putting a stop to that."

"I don't even want to do it," Makoto sighed, looking up. "I can't understand anything on that laptop of hers, and I'm pretty sure this Yang guy wouldn't like me. Boys are too weird."

"You won't know until you find out for yourself," Adon mumbled, avoiding a stare from Makoto.

Juri nodded to agree with what Adon had said.

"Right, what Adon said. You've been cooped up in this dojo for years, only coming out for your substitute teacher job and tournaments. You need someone in your life to give it meaning, someone who isn't just a friend," Juri said in a sage-like manner. "If you want a man, Mak, you'll have to go outside and get one for yourself."

"You mean like what you did?" Makoto retorted.

"You can say that," Juri said as she set aside two plates of food for Sakura and Ibuki. "But it's better if you don't beat Yang up and drag him home."

Makoto sighed and looked to Ibuki, who had just left her room. The kunoichi was fully clothed and prepared for the day ahead. Sakura also appeared from the bathroom, and both women sat up to the counter. Juri turned to set down their plates in front of them.

"Juri cooks now?" Sakura asked, looking to Ibuki.

"She doesn't usually cook. Makoto is the one who does all that stuff. Juri is only cooking because she's hit a wall with her hobby," Ibuki said bluntly.

"Ah Ibuki," Juri sighed. "So blunt with your comments, as always. I've cooked before, ya know. Back in England I tried a bunch of stuff, and this was one of them," she said matter-of-factly. "Anyway, don't worry about me girl, I've found some inspiration."

This caused Adon to stop eating and focus on Juri. She had a hobby other than fighting? She had found inspiration? Adon remembered he had a hobby as well, if one would count enjoying the grace and power of wildlife and the silence of nature as a hobby. Perhaps he could ask what she did with her spare time if he had the chance. It probably had to be some gender specific hobby, although Adon could be wrong.

'_Hobbies are for people with much time on their hands,' _Adon thought as he rubbed his chin. _'Perhaps I should ask her what that is. Might her hobby be connected with that strange object in her room?' _He shook his head. _'Wait... why do I even care what she does with her time?'_

He pushed his finished plate forward and looked at the girls. Makoto was currently engaged in a conversation with Ibuki, who was looking at her friend with a surprised expression. The karate fighter seemed more alert now; perhaps Ibuki had allowed her to tag along with her. Sakura was eating her food quietly, absentmindedly reading what seemed to be a flyer for yet another fighting tournament. The three young women just didn't seem to notice Adon's internal one-sided conversation about the Korean woman.

_ 'Gah... First you get beaten by her, and then you can't stop thinking about her? This is a perplexing situation! Perhaps, just perhaps, I have feelings for her, even when she attacked me, broke my arm, and kidnapped me...' _He chuckled softly to himself. _'Sagat is going to enjoy this if he finds out… Perhaps I should make the best of my time here,' _he thought to himself. _'I'm caught in this spider's web. It would be a good idea not to struggle, for both my sakes... and hers.'_

The woman deserved the benefit of the doubt. Her personality was confusing and tactless, but at the same time, it was alluring. Other women, to him, seemed to be shy creatures that couldn't hold their own ground in an argument or fight, but Juri was an exception. She had fought, suffered, and fallen, but she got back up and did all that was in her power to exact her revenge and avenge those close to her. Even now, she was still fighting, as her happiness was the greatest revenge she could think of after all that had happened to her.

Adon looked towards the living room where he found Ibuki talking on a cell phone. She paced about as Makoto stood nearby with an eager expression on her face. Juri had finished cooking and was eating her meal quietly away from the others. Other than the fact Ibuki was blabbering about on her phone, it was too quiet and just a little unnerving. A cursory glance in Sakura's direction revealed her to be looking at Ibuki's laptop which was left out from the night before.

"Sakura, was it?" Sakura looked up at Adon. "Can I ask something of you?"

"Uh... yeah," she replied, tilting her head. "What is it?"

"Would there be anything on that machine that could help verify Juri's story?"

Juri looked at Adon from the corner of her eye. He didn't believe her story? If that was so, she found herself offended. Usually she wouldn't care if someone didn't believe her, but Adon was strangely different. There was a certain pull about him that compelled her to long for something, whether it was his trust or his affection. She did not know which. Perhaps he only partly believed her story, but he just needed proof from an outside source.

_ 'Understandable,' _Juri thought. _'I wouldn't expect him to believe me so quickly, what with the broken arm and abduction.'_

"There's an American news article you can look at," Sakura stated, typing on the laptop. After a few clicks and keystrokes she turned the laptop around for Adon to look at. "This is a newspaper page from San Francisco, California."

The newspaper had a picture near the top along with a headliner over it that read, "The Terror Ends". The picture included Juri Han being lead out of a court house amongst other various individuals. Gripping her right arm tightly was a large Chinese woman in an Interpol uniform. On Juri's other side, a petite British woman in a green leotard had her right arm interlocked with Juri's left. All three women wore expressionless masks, although their eyes told different stories.

Adon slowly read the article, finding that it mostly highlighted the court sessions and the crimes Juri had committed. Having brought down two organizations, she was pardoned along with two other accomplices. On a side note, a completely irrelevant article announced a Mexican luchador's rise to fame after a critic decided to humor him by eating at his restaurant. Apparently, the critic praised his skills and the fighter received the publicity he had been seeking since he started cooking.

Adon put a hand to his forehead and groaned.

'_The day you quit S.I.N. is the day El Fuerte gets better at cooking,' _he remembered telling Juri. _'You'll never change!'_

"Do you believe me now?" Juri asked over her shoulder.

He looked to Juri, who was stacking plates in the sink. Looking into her violet eyes, Adon could see that she wanted nothing but the truth. He nodded once.

"Yes... I do."

Sakura returned the laptop and left the counter to speak with Makoto and Ibuki. The karate fighter held a small board in her hands and was busy presenting it to her kunoichi friend. She either was teaching Ibuki how to break it, or she was simply passing the time to when their dates would arrive. Ignoring the yelp of pain from the ninja when she failed to break the board, Adon spoke to Juri.

"How long will I be wearing this sling?"

"Oh, about a month," she replied in an oddly happy tone.

"What? A month?"

Juri sighed. This was exactly the response she had expected from him. She didn't want him to leave so early from this place, since she looked into his bag and found a ticket for a plane out of Japan in three weeks. She also didn't want him to leave for another reason: she didn't want to be left alone. Of all the men she had come across, Adon had genuinely sympathized with her. The nights were getting cold, after all.

"Yes, a month. You said you were here to study Makoto in a month's time anyway, right?" She turned to look at him before folding her arms. "Don't worry; I'll take good care of you while you stay here. You satisfy me, I'll satisfy you…"

Adon looked away as he felt his face turning red.

"F-fine," he sighed. "But I expect that you do not try anything with me. An animal will lash out when cornered, and the jaguar is no exception."

"Heh, whatever you say."

The door to the dojo opened, revealing a young man in a blue and yellow baseball cap, white shirt, and black pants. He had a skateboard in one hand and the door handle in the other. Before he could even announce his presence, he was quickly tackled out of the house by Ibuki, who let loose a squeal of joy. Makoto saw the entire thing and groaned at her friend's enthusiasm. She rubbed the back of her head and went to the door to make sure there was no damage.

Soon, the young man stepped into the dojo again with a smile and Ibuki in his arms. She had her arms around his neck in a typical hold. Both seemed quite happy with each other, and they laughed as if they had known each other for quite some time. The young man set Ibuki down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Another man stepped into the dojo, and was he roughly the same height as the other. His brown hair was styled into a spiky quiff and he wore a sleeveless red kung fu shirt, black pants, and black sneakers. He stood to the left of the other man. The resemblance to each other was uncanny, almost as if they were brothers.

Adon looked at the men, then back at Juri.

"Who are those two?"

"The one on the left in the white shirt is Yun, Ibuki's boyfriend." She pointed to the man on the right. "The guy on the right is Yang, his twin brother. Together, they're the Lee brothers."

Yang had his hands in his pockets, and, unlike his brother, he didn't seem too enthusiastic to be here. Makoto bowed politely as she introduced herself to him. Yang looked at Makoto for quite some time, as if he was reading everything about her just by taking in her sight. No doubt about it, it was a little unnerving, but the young man held out his hand to the karate fighter as a gesture of goodwill. Makoto looked at the hand for a moment before taking it with a smile. After a firm grip and a shake, Yang returned the expression.

After the brief introduction, Ibuki waved goodbye to Sakura and Juri while Yun and Yang stared at Adon. The older Lee brother nudged his counterpart and gestured in the Muay Thai fighter's general direction as he mumbled something. His brother's reaction was to roll his eyes and shake his head. Perhaps they knew who Adon was, as it wasn't hard to recognize the man who was always hanging around in Sagat's shadow. Ibuki took Yun by the hand and led him out of the house while Yang lingered by the door. Makoto looked apprehensive about heading out and looked to Juri for some reassurance.

"Go on," Juri said, waving her off. "You guys have fun!"

Makoto looked back to Yang, who was waiting for her patiently with his arms at his sides. He was much more polite and level-headed than his brother, but shyer and a bit of a silent type. Makoto smiled again and walked out with Yang behind her. After they left, Adon gazed at Juri who was busy looking at the scene in front of her with a sense of pride. He cleared his throat and broke her away from her trance.

"Might I ask what am I to do with my month's time?"

"I'll find something for you to do, don't worry. For now, you and your one arm can help me with these dishes," Juri said

"First activity is dish washing? What do I look like, a maid?" Adon asked, hoping Juri had the decency to not answer that question.

The ex-S.I.N. agent giggled and placed her right hand on Adon's left as a smirk appeared on her face.

"I'm going to make these three weeks enjoyable, Adon."

Adon turned beat red again as Sakura snickered.


	6. Investigation

Juri had been true to her word. In two and a half weeks she had been able to make Adon comfortable while finding him things to do in the time it took for him to talk with Makoto. Her activities for him ranged from simple interactions with each other to helping around the house. Most of the interactions were innocent, but a few were deemed 'questionable' by the other girls. It was only by Juri's threats did they drop the massage incident.

A few days after washing dishes and getting acquainted with the others, Adon was ordered by Juri to help Makoto with a small roof project. Too many new aspiring students had been punched through the roof, so obviously it needed repairing. Three years ago, she fixed up the dojo by herself first, then with Ibuki, Sakura, and Juri. She would have gladly done this repair by herself again, but she allowed Adon to help carry her nails and tools while she was up on the roof.

Even though he had a broken right arm in a sling, the Muay Thai warrior couldn't slink out of this event. Injuries never stopped him from upholding the glory and respect of Muay Thai, although this was something completely different. He grumbled but obliged and followed Makoto as she set a ladder up against the dojo. She climbed up first with a hammer in her hand and a few nails in her mouth. Thankfully, she didn't have to carry the shingles, as they were already atop the roof from a day's preparation before.

Juri watched in delight as Adon climbed up with one hand.

"Hmm… nice view for a girl…" she mused.

Adon stopped near the top of the ladder and turned his head to look at Juri with a grumpy expression. She had her hands on her hips and was leering at his behind. She was wearing a white tank-top that was more open at the front, and that highlighted the defining parts of her chest. It seemed to be the norm whenever she was around him, given her provocative nature. Adon wanted to scold her, but, after his eyes trailed down from her face to her chest, he considered scolding himself.

"Hey," Juri said, pointing to her face, "eyes up here!"

Cheeks burning, Adon grumbled and turned away. In just a few days he realized he did have feelings for her, and that he had trouble hiding that fact from Juri. She knew he liked her, and she took pride in teasing him regularly. She had feelings for him as well, but Adon didn't take her advances seriously given that she was a master of deception when it came to the opposite sex. Instead, he tried his damndest to keep her at arms length until he knew more about her from an outside source.

He resumed climbing the ladder and stepped onto the roof before turning to face Juri.

"Tch, I could say the same for you!"

"Come on," Juri playfully whined, "don't tell me the mighty jaguar king doesn't like a sexy spider staring at his hindquarters!"

"You've been doing that an awful lot…" Adon mumbled with a smile.

"There's nothing wrong with admiring another person's body," Juri said as she slowly shook her hips from side to side. She placed a hand on her hip and leaned forward endearingly. "Isn't there something you like about mine?"

Adon's smile turned into a sly grin as he knelt down at the roof's edge.

"Perhaps…"

"Really?" Juri asked, smirking now. "What specific part, or… parts?"

"Where should I begin...? I'll have to say that your-"

Before he could say anything else, Makoto reached over and grabbed Adon by the back collar of his shirt. Despite the threats she received, Makoto rolled her eyes and pulled him away from the edge of the roof to get started on the repairs. This would be, for Adon, a perfect opportunity to speak with Makoto. He would get started on that right after he finished lamenting over his missed opportunity. Juri laughed at the antics and lingered for a moment longer before heading back into the confines of the dojo.

Adon helped Makoto with her roof repairs as much as he could and asked her questions when there was a lull in the work. She talked about her job, friends, family, and the events that went on during and after the previous S.I.N. tournament. Although she appeared dull and dopey at first, Makoto had a lot of pride in herself and her abilities. When the topic of fighting was brought up, her mood brightened significantly. Her dojo was a popular subject for her, and she would constantly compare hers to Hibiki's.

"I've had at least ten challengers this week," Makoto proudly said as she pounded a nail into the roof. "How many has Hibiki had? None!"

"Let me get this straight, you fight students who come to this dojo... and when they lose, they can't receive training?" Adon asked.

The karate fighter rubbed her head and shot a confused glance at Adon.

"Uh... yeah... If they can beat me, they can apply to the dojo."

"If the students can beat the dojo master," Adon mumbled as he handed the young woman a few nails, "then what reason is there for them to stay? Students want to learn how to fight, not how to be destroyed by the master." He looked away with a frown. "I wanted to fight; I wanted to experience the thrill of combat. I've been fighting and training under Sagat ever since I became an adolescent..."

"Um... ok," Makoto muttered. She bit her lip and pounded another nail in. "What do you suggest I change about the dojo's applicant requirements then?"

"Allow anyone who wants to learn your art a chance to do so, without fighting you first," Adon replied with a finger jabbed in her direction.

Makoto thought for a minute. As she looked up and away, she contemplated the potential profit she could gain from such a stance. If kids came to her dojo to learn, then what were books and private training by themselves in solitude amounting to? She could not understand that, as she had learned from practicing her moves tirelessly on dummies as well as reading and watching fighting material. The roof was nearly finished by that time, just a few more shingles and it would look as if nothing had been punched through it.

"Besides," Adon said with a smirk, "this would put you ahead of Hibiki in students."

Snapping her fingers, Makoto nodded.

"You're right! Lowering my standards to allow more students will put me far ahead of Hibiki!" She chuckled evilly and rubbed her hands together like a scheming mastermind. "I can't wait to rub the fact that my dojo is far more successful in his face..."

Adon smiled awkwardly. He didn't really like Dan Hibiki, as he found he was a man who talked big and had nothing to show. Dan was an arrogant fighter, but it takes one to know one.

"You seem to really hate that man, and much more than I do! Is this change of mind an act of revenge?"

"Revenge? Oh no." Makoto picked up her hammer and nails again. "It's just a rival thing. He owns and runs a dojo... so do I."

"Ah... I see." Adon rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down at the shingles under his feet. "Listen, I've got a question for you. I-it's about Juri."

Having heard that, Makoto missed her mark. The hammer came down on her thumb with a sickening crack. She pulled away with a gasp of pain and waved her hand around comically. With a small tear in her eye, the karate fighter stuck her thumb in her mouth. Adon raised an eyebrow, his downplayed expression of concern. Makoto just shook her head and mumbled something that seemed to be taken as 'I'm fine'.

"What do you know about her? She said she met you before in the tournament."

"Mmhmm," she mumbled before taking her thumb out of her mouth. "We did. Well, I met her first, Ibuki and Sakura did later. I don't want to go into details with the encounter, but if you want to get the story, talk to Ibuki or Sakura." Waving a hand, Makoto continued. "What specifically are you asking for about her?"

"Well for starters, what does she like?"

"That's a toughie. Juri's always been sort of an enigma even after two years of contact." Makoto seemed to be mulling over her memories as she stared out at nothing in particular. "Oh I know one thing she likes: spicy food. Usually I'm the one who cooks in this place, but when Juri cooks, she always wants to spice things up. It's too much for me. I prefer milder food. Ibuki doesn't seem to mind though."

"I don't care what flavor her food has," Adon said, looking away. "I'll eat anything I'm given."

"She's got an entire jar of jalapenos in the refrigerator too!" Makoto practically shouted. "One of these days I swear she's going to spike the food with them!"

Adon chuckled and looked towards the west. The sun was setting, and already Adon could see the moon in the east as it rose over the hilltops. His thoughts were once again directed towards the South Korean thanks to the conversation, and he made no effort in dispelling those thoughts. Just who was Juri? What kind of person was she really? Was she always provocative and sadistic, or was that just one side she showed to her enemies? He wasn't a psychologist, but still, he wondered about her.

"You like her, don't you?" Makoto suddenly said.

He snapped back to the one who answered his question with a confused expression.

"Who?" Adon asked, playing dumb.

"Juri! You're asking about what she likes today, while yesterday you asked where she went off to. You're thinking about her right now, aren't you?" Makoto grinned and pointed at Adon. "You like her!"

"So I like her, what of it?" He challenged before his face took on a shade of red. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment, Makoto did not know. "Don't you dare tell her I said that. Besides, you're on your way to being head over heels for that Lee boy yourself."

"Uh…," Makoto blinked once before she looked away with an uncharacteristic blush. "I-I won't tell her anything, then." She looked out to the west. "It's getting late, and the job's done."

Leaning on a windowsill, Juri smiled as she watched the two climb down. She had heard most of their conversation from her bedroom. Finally, a confession of affection, even if it was indirect! Even if things didn't work out in the end, the knowledge of this would bring forth a multitude of interesting events and challenges. She wondered about how much she could get away with when near Adon, but she also hoped he would try and return her affections in time.

'_Oh, so you 'like' me now, do you?' _she thought with a suppressed giggle. _'I wanna step that up…'_

She returned her attention back to her hobby, absentmindedly wiping a bit of liquid red off on a paper towel.

* * *

"You there!"

Ibuki groaned and closed her laptop. She folded her arms, slumped down in her seat, and glared at the red-haired man in the kitchen. She wasn't in a good mood today, and if the man had any reason in his mind, he would leave her be. Apparently he didn't.

"What do you want Adon?" she asked with a harsh tone.

"What," Adon growled, standing in front of her, "is there a problem?"

Ibuki softened her expression and shifted uncomfortably in her seat before she unfolded her arms. Perhaps she had come off as disrespectful when the man only wanted something simple. In the man's eyes she could see a challenge, as if he was begging for her to growl at him again for using such a tone. The kunoichi's skills have dulled a little over the years, and she doubted she would hold her own against a one-armed opponent like Adon. She put her hands up in front of her as a calming gesture.

"Uh... No, sorry. There isn't a problem. I'm just a little overworked, that's all."

Adon frowned and looked around dismissively.

"What's wrong in this world that you have to be overworked?"

"Well, you know that place where you ate with Juri? The one she took you to when you first came here?" She didn't bother waiting for an answer and instead she opened up her laptop again. "Well I work there part-time."

"So the problem is that you're not getting paid enough," Adon said, looking back at Ibuki. "Or is that not the problem?"

Ibuki yawned and glanced at her screen. Normally, she wouldn't be talking to him. She viewed him as the loudest, cockiest jerk she had ever seen, one who would never shut up during the tournament. The first night he stayed here she still didn't like him, and she gave him a wide berth. Now, however, after having been talked to by Juri and Sakura to be more lenient, she has been able to tolerate him to some degree. Everyone deserves a second chance, even Muay Thai fighters who have fallen from grace.

"The pay isn't the problem; it's that I don't want to work at a restaurant for the rest of my life. No, what I want to do is reporting!" Ibuki said with vigor.

"You want to be a reporter?" Adon asked as he placed his left elbow on the counter.

"Yes! But like always, I have to work for it."

Sighing, she turned the laptop around to face the man. On the screen was a document filled with words. Adon read a few lines and concluded that it was an assignment of some sort. Could the ninja be attending college for higher education? Adon figured she desperately needed it. He scratched his chin and raised an eyebrow, having already given up on reading whatever she had written.

"I'm taking classes on the subject, and, just like at the university, there are loads of work to be done." She turned the computer around to face her, still focused on Adon. "I'm almost finished on this one page. I can't wait to get started as a reporter! It's gonna be so cool!"

"Reporters are those people on the television news networks; they must have gone through extensive training to be where they are now," Adon said, shifting his weight in an attempt to find a comfortable position. "What makes you think you have what it takes?"

"Well," the young ninja started as she held up a few fingers, counting off of them, "everyone I know says I'm sweet, charming, pretty, and bubbly! I'm a shoo-in! I've also got a little trick I'd do every time the cameras start rolling. Here, watch this!"

She got up from her chair and went to a fruit bowl on the counter to grab a banana. She then ran to the dojo's fighting area with Adon trailing behind. A bemused expression was on his mug, and he was curious to see what the young woman would do to prove herself. Stopping at one edge of the dojo's fighting mat, Ibuki turned to face Adon.

"Ok," she said, rolling her shoulders. "Camera rolls in three, two, one!"

After that cue of hers, she leaped forward into the air. When she came back down, she bounced off the mat, going much higher than her initial jump. Included in this second jump were about four to five front flips, all done at the same breakneck speed. She landed in a crouching position in front of Adon with her head down.

"Ibuki," she exclaimed as she stood up, pretending that the banana was a microphone, "on the scene!"

She smiled wide, winking and flashing a V for victory sign with her fingers while her other hand held the banana microphone close to her chest. After holding the pose for a few seconds, she looked at Adon.

"Well? What did you think of it?"

"It was overly elaborate," Adon replied dryly.

"Oh boo," she whined, peeling away the banana's skin. "It was awesome and you know it."

The soon-to-be ninja reporter ate the banana slowly and looked up at the ceiling. The roof was fixed a few days ago, thanks to Makoto and Adon. If the karate fighter wasn't what she was, she could make a decent living as a carpenter. Ibuki looked around the room and noticed it was surprisingly empty. Makoto, Sakura, and Juri had gone out and left her behind, but they knew she had something to do anyway without them bothering her.

Ibuki then looked back at Adon and noticed he hadn't moved.

"Uh... was there something else?"

"Yes," was his response. "Although watching that little intro of yours was entertaining, I had something to ask you back in the kitchen."

Ibuki gulped down the rest of the banana and lazily tossed the peel over her shoulder. When it missed the trash can, she grumbled and went over to put it in properly. Makoto would've chastised her for doing that, but she wasn't around now, was she? She wiped her hands on her pants and turned to Adon.

"Yeah, ask away."

"That Makoto girl and I talked about Juri a few days ago," he said, looking down at Ibuki. "She said you two met her before in the tournament held by S.I.N., but she left the honors of telling the tale of the encounter to you."

"Oh man," Ibuki groaned, placing a hand to her forehead. "_That_ story... During that tournament, after I met Sakura in front of some old temple during a celebration, we saw Makoto running towards us with the freakiest woman hot on her heels. Sakura tried to step in and stop her, but Juri threw her aside. I think she said she didn't have a beef with her, just us two."

_ 'Perhaps those girls where two of the nine new challengers Juri was ordered to knock out,' _Adon thought, scratching his chin. "So, you fought her then?"

"Tried to! She moved way too fast for us, faster than any ninja I've ever seen! She didn't want to take us on one at a time," she pouted, crossing her arms, "so she took both of us on at the same time, and she didn't even look the least bit threatened... In fact, I think she enjoyed it."

"I'm assuming you lost," Adon said as he looked down at the girl with half-closed eyes.

"Darn right we lost!" she snapped, stomping her foot. "If it wasn't for that weird eye of hers and her insane flailing, we would have had a chance!"

Adon chuckled softly, remembering his thrashing he received from Juri on the S.I.N. cruise ship. He told her before the fight that the insane flailing of a lunatic was no match for the king of the jaguars, but unfortunately for him, it was. His mind said it was obvious that he'd lose, but his pride claimed it was luck. Ibuki huffed and shook her head. She had heard the chuckle and was none too happy about it.

"It's not funny! Makoto falls from a roundhouse kick to the face, and Juri stands over her with her back turned to me. Then, she turns around and gives the creepiest smile I've ever seen! I didn't want to do it, but she forced me to use my kunai, but all I managed to do was cut her on the arm. She advanced towards me with a Cheshire grin, unfazed, and before I know it, wham! I just got knocked the heck out!" Ibuki scowled and looked away. "When I awoke I couldn't see a thing, but god, the stench was awful! You know why?" she asked, shooting Adon a glance. "I was in a trash can! Can you believe it? A trash can! Juri shoved me head-first into a trash can when I was unconscious! What kinda woman does that?"

That did it. Adon doubled over with laughter. Ibuki glared at the man, tapping her foot. He leaned back with tears of joy in his eyes as he continued to laugh. Suddenly, he yowled in pain and hopped on one foot.

"Jerkwad! How would you like it if you were stuffed headfirst into something, huh?" Ibuki growled.

Not laughing anymore, but still grinning wide, Adon cradled his foot and glared at Ibuki.

"Well excuse me, princess," he said, putting his foot down and catching his breath, "I never thought Juri would publicly humiliate you by stuffing you in a trash container!" He shook his head and held his left hand up defensively, as if he was expecting a slap. "Now what happened next?"

"Well, Mr. Jerkface, when I came to I found Makoto leaning up against a wall with some people around her, who were helping her out. Her yellow scarf was gone, and she looked torn up. When she saw me she gave a weak smile, telling me to look in a mirror. As if the bloody nose and black eye weren't bad enough," she mumbled, shooting her hands up into her hair, "she cut my hair! I had two great ponytails, and she lopped them off! She also made off with all my kunai!"

"Well that's a shame... what happened to Sakura?"

"I don't know where she went to be honest, but she came back with some weirdo in a pink gi. Of course, now I know that the weirdo is Dan, and Sakura was his star student. She and Dan looked like they saw something disturbing, and when I asked them about what they saw, they didn't say anything." Ibuki sighed and paced the room. "My only guess was that Juri had done something extremely vile."

Adon raised an eyebrow at that.

"Have you talked to her about this now that she isn't working for S.I.N. anymore?"

"I mentioned this to Sakura. She said nothing happened. I talked to Juri. She said nothing happened and threatened me to stop asking. I talked to... ugh... I talked to Dan. He said something _did_ happen, but didn't say what."

Adon nodded.

It seemed that Juri had done something horrible after fighting Makoto and Ibuki, and it was enough to keep it a secret from him. However, how horrible was horrible when it was attributed to something the woman had done? It must have been a step up from her usual deeds in the past to be classified as such. Adon wanted to know what it was, but he would have to ask one of three people for information. Juri was out of the question, since she wouldn't possibly speak to him about it unless a significant amount of time had passed. That, or after a certain level of trust had been established.

"Where's Sakura then?"

"She went out with the others, but she won't be coming back for awhile. She's going to train with Ryu for a week, then she'll come back to check up on us."

So Sakura was out of the question as well, at least for a while. The only person left to talk to was Dan, and he looked like he would be able to sate Adon's curiosity. Problem was, Dan was the absolute last person Adon would ever want to speak to, and he had the information he wanted. He smiled wearily and chuckled as he realized the futility of his situation. Curiosity had him in a vicegrip and refused to let go until he gave himself up for more punishment, it seemed.

"The only option I have left is to talk to Dan about it."

Ibuki raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, why do you care what she did?"

Good question. He cared because he wanted to know if this little incident would affect how he perceived that unpredictable Korean woman. It had been too long since he stumbled across a woman who mercilessly fought for what she believed in regardless of whether or not she had support. She had earned his respect, and that was no small feat. This kunoichi wouldn't let him live it down though if she found out he cared about Juri. Adon shrugged his shoulders.

"Just curious."

Ibuki pouted, but she didn't press on any further.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Actually, yes. What does Juri do around here, now that she isn't working for S.I.N?"

"Usually she stays at the dojo, working on her hobbies. She still fights from time to time, mostly friendly sparing with whoever drops by and a few competitions held in Japan."

"Hobbies eh?" Adon repeated, bemused. "Care to share what they are?"

Wagging a finger, Ibuki replied:

"Sorry, that's for us girls to know and you to find out on your own. Maybe in time Juri will let you see her work."

_ 'Damn,' _he thought, frowning. "Well, what does she like?"

"Well, obviously she likes fighting. She also gets a certain enjoyment out of seeing others in pain, so when she wins a fight, she's doubly happy." She brought her arms out away from her body and continued in a sarcastic tone, "I know, she's charming like that."

"I already know this," Adon said dully. "I also know that she likes spicy food and the color purple."

"Well ok then, good for you. Uh..." Ibuki poked her index fingers together nervously. "She likes spiders too…"

"Spiders," Adon repeated, scratching his head. "I would have thought she hated them..."

"Not all women hate bugs. A year ago she had this huge tarantula that she kept in her room. But of course, it never stayed in her room all the time. She brought that spider out at times to 'play' with it," she said skeptically. "She planted it near me or Makoto to freak us out, and believe me, I was freaked out! I hate bugs!" Bringing her hands together in a begging gesture, Ibuki pleaded with Adon. "Please don't give her a spider!"

"I... I haven't planned on it," Adon said, looking around in an attempt to avoid eye contact with the ninja.

"Good!"

Ibuki stepped back and looked around. She should really get back to work on her assignment, but she felt like saying one more thing to Adon. That one thing was certain to arouse interest in him, seeing as it had to do with Juri.

"Did you know Juri had a crush on someone before?"

The jaguar king snapped his head back to Ibuki.

"Really? Who was it?" His voice clearly showed that he was surprised, yet agitated. "Was it that Ryu person?"

"Oh no," she replied, shaking her head. "That's Sakura's man. He's too boring to be seen with someone like Juri. She had a crush on Chun-Li, the world-famous Interpol detective."

Adon's eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline.

"But Chun-Li's a woman!"

A shrug was all he received.

"What does she have that I don't?" Adon spat.

"What a great question, pal. Think, what do women have that men don't?"

He thought for a quick minute before making up his mind, although he hoped he was wrong. His eyes shot down to Ibuki's lower body, much to her discomfort. She snapped her fingers once to bring his attention back up to her face. She brought her hands up to her chest and held them under her breasts while casting Adon a glance that would say, 'You're an idiot'.

"What," was the first thing Adon said after staring for awhile. "She likes those?"

"Big ones," she replied, dropping her hands. "It kinda makes sense, in a way..."

"What makes sense," he asked. "That she likes others' breasts?"

"Well her name is Juri... doesn't it sound a lot like yuri?"

Adon took a step back and frowned.

'_That must be Japanese for something,' _he thought. "What's your point?"

"Well yuri is Japanese for 'likes women', I think, and she did say she had a crush on Chun-Li. But then again, I don't really keep track of gossip as much as I used to."

Adon looked down at the floor and rubbed his head as he thought. Was Juri simply playing with him? Toying with his emotions like a cat with a ball of yarn? All the flirting he was exposed to during his stay… was it meaningless? Regardless, he was disappointed upon learning Juri's supposed sexual preference. Ibuki noticed the disappointed look he sported and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She could tell he felt something for Juri, and she would be damned if she let those two spend the next week and a half looking at each other uncomfortably. When he looked up, she smiled in a reassuring way.

"Don't worry. She doesn't swing that way!"

"But you just said-"

"Juri had a crush on Chun-Li? Yes, that part is true." She removed her hand from his shoulder, holding up a finger. "However, she said she only liked Chun, no other woman. Cammy said that too, and look at her, she's with Chun-Li! Juri had no chance with her, being that she worked with S.I.N. while Chun was doing Interpol work."

"So... what does this mean?" Adon asked, leaving out 'for me' at the end.

"It means you still have a chance! I assure you," she chuckled, folding her arms, "she likes men, and she most certainly likes _you_. Why else would she be showering you with attention and flirts while allowing you to stay at Makoto's illustrious dojo? Not that Makoto had any choice; Juri wouldn't stand to see you out there with a broken arm."

The Muay Thai fighter stared at Ibuki with a stoic expression. It slowly gave way to a smile as he regained his composure.

"Huh, so she does care..." he said with a smug undertone, as if he knew it all along.

"Yep, she does." Ibuki smiled and began walking away. "Don't let it get to your head; of course, asking for something like that would be like asking for the earth to stop rotating. It's just going to happen anyway!"

"Are you still riled about that trashcan nonsense?"


	7. Saikyo Situation

Meanwhile, just as Adon had finished speaking to Ibuki, three women had entered the community plaza of the nearby city. They weren't wandering around aimlessly, even if they were passing the time until someone arrived for one of them. Another woman had a date, and the final woman was simply accompanying the other two. All around them were the sounds of people bargaining or conversing, and the various smells of baked goods filled the air. Makoto swore that if Ibuki was here, she'd go into a shopping fit.

"When did you say he'd be here again?" the karate fighter asked, adjusting her straw hat with a gloved hand.

Because no one else would take up the initiative, Makoto had been once again tasked with maintaining the landscaping project around her dojo. She grumbled under her breath the entire time, wondering just how many bags of mulch she would need for the entire perimeter, and how many bags she would go through before she went insane. Luckily, she was quickly reminded that she had a certain appointment with a certain somebody. She unceremoniously dropped everything to be with the others, blissfully unaware of her current dirty appearance.

"Last time Ryu-san came he told me to meet him in two weeks in the town plaza." Sakura looked around in curiosity. "He's going to teach me how to do a proper shoryuken this week, among other things."

The wandering warrior himself had been training Sakura for the past year. It was as if her wildest dreams had come true, a chance to train with her idol! She still had a rather large crush on the man, but she restrained herself and focused on the training first. If she wanted to impress her crush, she would have to show him just what she was capable of. He seemed to be drawn to strong opponents, and Sakura was hoping he would create one for himself in Sakura.

"When are you gonna ask him out, girly?" Juri questioned as she absentmindedly looked at the time on her phone.

"J-Juri! I'm not going to ask him out!"

"Come on… take that vagabond out for a night on the town like I did for my man."

Sakura turned to look at Juri with a nervous expression.

"Hey, uh… you care to talk about that?"

"Talk about what? Missing your shot with the most boring man in existence?" Juri paused for a few seconds before sighing and pocketing her phone. She sent Sakura a dangerous look. "Or is it about Adon?"

Sakura nodded.

"I've seen you two together a lot these past few days." Sakura said, prodding her index fingers together. "I thought you were just giving him stuff to do while he healed, but I'm not so sure now. Are you two... seeing each other?"

"Perhaps," Juri replied, narrowing her eyes. "What's it to you?"

"Look, I just want to know... why him? There are tons of other guys out there..."

Juri frowned and placed her hands on her hips, suddenly defensive.

"Do you have a problem with him?"

Sakura cringed and tugged at the collar of her red tracksuit.

"T-to be honest, I don't think he's really changed from how he was before," said Sakura, walking forward. "Sure he's back under Sagat-san now, and he isn't as loud as he used to be, but I still expect him to do something rude or perverted."

"Perverted," Juri repeated, smiling slightly. "Give me an example of him being perverted."

Makoto looked up from a newspaper and blinked twice. She tipped her straw hat off her head and to her back as she looked to Sakura and Juri. Although not as social as the others, she could tell when someone was enjoying a conversation. Sighing, the karate fighter folded up her newspaper and waited for a string of examples from Sakura. A raunchy woman would savor this, and if Makoto knew Juri, she would be waiting with bated breath.

"I've seen what goes on in bars after Masters-san had a lapse of judgment…," Sakura said, as if stating that fact prepared her for the follow-up. She frowned and rubbed the back of her neck. "Adon-san could do a variety of things. He could make lewd statements, ogle you from behind, or, if the first two weren't enough, grope you."

Juri's response was to break out in a fit of giggles.

"Why are you laughing?" Sakura asked, disgusted. "That's nothing to laugh about!"

"What? I like it!" Juri replied unabashedly. "It would be very alluring and daring of him."

"Juri!"

"Oh for crying out loud, he's not going to do any that." Juri thought for a moment before adding: "Unless I ask him, but that takes away the heartwarming surprise. Besides, I ogle him from behind all the time, so what's the harm in him doing the same to me?"

"Come on, enough of the teasing. Tell me why you like him!" Sakura chimed, pumping her fists for emphasis.

"Well, there are many things I like about him..." Juri scratched her head, looking up. "For one, he's around."

Makoto scoffed, unintentionally drawing attention to herself.

"Of course he's around; you broke his arm and took his stuff."

"I broke his arm, not his legs," Juri said, waving a hand. "He had plenty of opportunities to run off, but he didn't."

"So," Sakura started, looking at her red fighting gloves, "tell me more about Adon-san. I mean, it's obvious you really like him, but why him? Why not someone else like-"

"Vega?"

"Yeah! Why not him? At first glance, you two would look perfect together."

If looks could kill, Juri would have murdered Sakura where she stood. A few terrible and shameful memories rushed into the Korean's mind, and she scowled at the young fighter in front of her for bringing them back. She remembered how the Spaniard's hands grasped her body and how his silver tongue danced with her own, but when she took the veil off, she found Vega was nothing more than a shoddy piece of garbage. It was only by blind luck that she did not lay with him, as it would have given him tremendous leverage over her.

"Hell no, he would rather stare at his own reflection for hours on end instead of being bothered to pay attention to me. He did call me beautiful, so bonus minutes of his precious time!" She mumbled under her breath, "Bastard would rather have me writhing beneath him instead of at his side..."

Even though Vega was known as an assassin that was in charge of Bison's dolls, he had another life as a celebrity. He also had a dual personality with him being an honorable nobleman by day, sadistic murderer by night. Thankfully, after a few years of psychotherapy, Vega's desire to run his claw through the bodies of all ugly people had diminished. He still had a hatred of ugliness, though, just not to the point of homicide. Although Vega had some good characteristics, his love of himself and beauty was what pushed others away from him time and time again. Plus, what he had tried to do with Juri never sat well with her.

Makoto jogged in front of the two and turned to face them while walking backwards.

"So wait, this is about attention?"

"Sort of... I just, well, how do I put this…" Juri pouted her lips in thought before letting loose with a defeated sigh. "I'm just so tired of being lonely."

Sakura nudged Juri after she said that.

"Lonely? You have us to keep you company."

"I just feel alone with you guys. All of you have found someone in your life. Yang's taken to Makoto, Ibuki's all over Yun, and you," Juri said, pointing to Sakura, "you got your mind set on Ryu. However, when I'm with Adon, I just don't feel alone." She smiled softly. "There's just something that makes me want to be with him. I'm not sure what it is... is it that arrogant smirk? That cocky attitude? His determination? He's no gentleman, that's for sure, but he tries."

Juri rubbed her shoulder as she recalled a memory.

"I caught him yesterday trying to wrap some bandages around his hands and feet. Because of his broken right arm, his work wasn't all that great. Instead of sitting back to watch, I went over to him and showed him a roll of my own bandages, you know, my black ones. I guess Muay Thai warriors get some kind of kick out of wearing those things, like some people get a kick out of reloading firearms during a battle." Juri frowned and shook that thought away. "Anyway, since he was tenacious without skills, I decided to take my bandages and wrap them around his hands myself. And so it went with me sitting on his lap with one hand in mine and the roll of bandages in the other, slowly but surely wrapping strands up and down his arm until things looked good."

Sakura and Makoto practically dropped their jaws when they saw Juri blush like a schoolgirl. Even then, the Korean had no shame and was aware of her appearance.

"After so many cold nights, just being near that hard-headed man felt right. When I looked up at him, I was surprised to see a grin, but it wasn't a cocky one. It was a grin of gratitude, but I knew I saw something in there that said much more than that. He didn't say a thing, and he didn't need to. It was loud and clear." Juri's gaze became distant and goofy as she slowly lost herself in the story. "When I finally finished up his hand, he thanked me. I simply got up and said 'you're welcome' before walking off. Oh… I'm such an idiot…," she lamented. "We were so close, and damn it all that I didn't pounce on him when I had such a golden opportunity."

The other two girls looked at each other and grinned.

"What happened next?" they asked in unison.

"Believe it or not, not much," Juri replied, although her grin never receded. "I glanced over my shoulder and saw Adon following me with his eyes. He had that look on his face, you know, the one a man gets when he sees something he likes. No, he wasn't staring at my ass yet, and not even my curves. Just me. No lust, just adoration." She giggled once before adding, "I didn't think it helped much when I gave him a coy smile and a shake of my hips, but all Adon did was smirk and shake his head in amusement." Juri blinked and looked back to the two girls with a sly expression. "I'm keeping this jaguar…"

Sakura smiled and sighed longingly while Makoto scrunched her face up into a confused expression.

"The look a man gets when he sees something he likes?" she repeated.

"Yeah," Juri said, looking at Makoto. "That means the man is interested in you. _Very_ interested."

"I don't think I've ever seen that," Makoto said.

"Of course you have! Yang gives you that look regularly, he just doesn't say anything and you never notice it."

"Oh…"

Her shotokan friend put a hand on her shoulder.

"Actions speak louder than words, Makoto."

"That's for damn sure," Juri commented. She turned her attention to Makoto. "So, what do you have planned for today? What kind of trials are you going to make Yang go through?"

"Well, if what you say about Yang is true, I'm going to test him. If he can beat me in a sparring session, I'll go out with him again."

"What if he doesn't want to hurt you," Sakura wondered aloud. "What if he throws the fight? What then?"

"It's not all about beating guys up to see if they're worthy, Mak," Juri mumbled.

"Ugh… I guess I'm going out with him again then. If he cares enough not to beat me up, not that he could," she said absentmindedly, albeit arrogantly, "then he really is a good guy. I just wanted to find out if he was a strong silent type. He's silent, that's certain."

Believe it or not, Juri was worried about Makoto for some time. Without a few good distractions and events, Makoto could have become so attached to her dojo that it would plague her every thought. The idea was troublesome to Juri because she was so attached to revenge years ago, and when she finally extracted it, she felt empty and chose the first path that presented itself to her, thus leading to the week as a leader. Makoto needed someone to get it through her thick skull that she was a woman who needed some interaction and distractions every now and then, and Ibuki was perfect for the job.

Yang could possibly take over for the kunoichi in time, and Juri would be most grateful.

"Hey Mak, what kind of woman are you?"

"What do you mean, Juri?" Makoto questioned.

"I mean, what do you look for in a guy?" Juri asked, ignoring the side look from Sakura. "Do you… search for matching personalities and interests, or are you the physical sort?"

"I've just put my foot in the door," Makoto mumbled. "I don't know what I'm looking for. Maybe I'll come across something, or maybe Yang will help me find something." In hindsight, continuing was unnecessary, yet Makoto did it anyway. "What kind of woman are you then?"

"Before the coup of S.I.N., boobs were the way to go," Juri replied unabashedly. "Unfortunately, as time went by, Chun-Li slipped out of reach and I had to come to terms with my, uh, orientation. I still love boobs, but men seem to be lacking in that department. So, I began to appreciate and look for the finer details. Things like confidence, determination, skills, personality, and above all else…" She raised her hands and slowly brought them down in front of her as if she was touching someone. Her hands stopped right where someone's bottom would be, and Sakura and Makoto widened their eyes at the display. "A nice, firm-"

"Hey," Sakura interjected, pulling on Juri's sleeve, "not changing the subject or anything, but… Can you find Ryu-san in this crowd?"

Missing the sigh of relief coming from Makoto's lips, Juri turned to look at Sakura. She dropped her hands to her sides and furrowed her brow.

"Don't you know how to do it yourself?"

"N-no… not yet," Sakura replied, pressing her fingers together.

Juri nodded and looked around the plaza. There were plenty of shops and stalls nearby, and there were hundreds of people walking around. So many people wearing different attire made finding the wandering warrior challenging. She wondered if Sakura was correct in her assumption that Ryu would be here. He wasn't one to be hanging around a populated area for too long. If the women had already spotted his familiar white gi, they would not have needed Juri to find him.

She closed her eyes and focused. The sounds of the plaza were drowned out as she concentrated on the energy she held. She sensed a ki vessel at her side, and a few more moving around. The largest ki signature Juri found was to her right, and the person who housed it was wandering around slowly with another entity. No doubt about it, it was Ryu. The 'strong fighter' radar was working like a charm. Opening her eyes, Juri looked to the right into a throng of people.

"Over there."

Without a word of acknowledgment, Sakura ran off and left Juri and Makoto behind. She made her way through the crowd, gently pushing others aside in her rush. Her eyes darted around as she looked for the fighter in the white gi. She found and recognized a large man who looked somewhat portly from a distance standing near a lamppost, and he was speaking to a slightly shorter man in a dirty white karate gi. The man also had a long red headband, a black belt, and a white duffel bag hung over his shoulder.

"Ryu-san!" Sakura exclaimed cheerfully.

The man in the white gi turned around to face Sakura. A warm smile ran across his face.

"Ah, Sakura. At last you arrive."

"I'm sorry Ryu-san," Sakura murmured, looking at the ground. "We got caught in the crowd."

"That's alright Sakura," Ryu said, causing his student to look up. "And please, call me Ryu. Everyone else does." He looked up over Sakura, bemused. "What do you mean by 'we'?"

Before Sakura could explain, two women appeared from the crowd and stepped towards Ryu. The man turned his head to look at them both, and he easily recognized one as a dojo owner and the other as a woman cleaning up her act little by little. Both were strong fighters, especially the one wearing purple. Makoto politely bowed while Juri simply stared.

"Ah, I see. Nice to meet you again Makoto," Ryu said before looking at Juri. With a nod, he addressed her. "Juri."

"Ryu," she replied simply, nodding as well.

There were many fighters that have had the honor to spar with the humble Ryu, and Juri was one of them. While she did not take an interest in him given that his personality was about the direct opposite of hers, Juri nevertheless respected him. Before, she would have respected him on account of his power. Now, she respected him on account of his skill. If there was one thing she learned from her stay in England, it was that Italian woman telling her that power was nothing without skill.

"Don't I get a greeting as well?" the large man near Ryu asked.

"Of course Honda-san," Sakura replied, bowing respectfully. "I would never forget you!"

Edmond Honda laughed whole-heartedly and swallowed Sakura up in a bone-crushing hug.

"No need for formalities around me!"

Ryu chuckled as Honda released Sakura from his grasp. She gasped for air, smiling weakly. After regaining her breath, Sakura looked back at Ryu.

"Ready for this week of training?" Ryu asked.

"If I wasn't ready," she began, grinning. "I wouldn't be here!" Sakura turned back to Juri and Makoto. "Well, see you girls in a week! Take care of Nikki while I'm away, ok?"

"Sure, sure," Juri replied with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "I'll try to keep it away from Adon."

The mention of Adon's name prompted Ryu to look at Juri in confusion. Honda did the same, rubbing his chin. The last time they had seen the self-proclaimed god of Muay Thai was during the tournament three years ago.

"Wasn't Adon Sagat's student?" Ryu asked.

"Yes," Juri replied with a smile. "In fact, he's still his student. He decided to go back. I guess if you're interested about this, Sakura can fill you in on some things."

"Alright, thank you Juri." Ryu looked at Sakura before readjusting his duffel bag on his shoulder. "Well, let's go. We have a long week of training ahead of us."

Sakura nodded and bid farewell to Juri, Makoto, and Honda. Ryu did the same, and soon they left them, walking towards one exit of the plaza. Juri called out to Sakura before she left her sight to remind her about what she told her about Ryu. Sakura blushed madly and turned away while her teacher raised an eyebrow. His obliviousness to romance would further fan the flames of mischief.

"Haha! Ryu's going to have his hands full with that girl, I just know it!" Honda chuckled once and looked over to the two remaining women. "Say, any of you care to grab a bite to eat with this old wrestler?"

"Sorry Honda-san," Makoto replied, scratching her head. "I've got a date, and I need to get there pretty soon."

"That's a no here as well, Eddy," Juri said, not caring about honorifics. "I do know a good spot to eat at though, if you're interested."

"Very interested! I came down here for two reasons: To see my old friend Ryu and to get a good meal!"

"Hey! I can help you there!"

Juri and Makoto looked behind them to search for the source of the new voice. To their surprise, they saw Ibuki running towards them dressed in a waitress uniform. Her red bag was slung over her shoulder and her hairstyle was toned down to support her outfit. Makoto smiled at the sight of her friend while Juri stared at her with wide eyes.

"Hey guys!" the kunoichi said. "Sakura already left with Ryu?"

"Uh... yeah... Ibuki, why are you in your waitress uniform?" Juri asked, her tone slightly hostile.

"I got called in to work for awhile," Ibuki replied with a wave of her hand. "Some sumo hotshot was sighted to be around here, and if he came to the Red Lotus, a flood of customers would soon follow."

"Hey! I might just be that hotshot!" Honda replied jovially.

"Awesome! Can I get you to come over?"

Juri laced her fingers together and frowned. If the ninja was here waiting tables, where was the jaguar? Granted, she trusted the man enough to not regard her with disdain, but there were some things she would rather keep away from him. The incident with the convict that all the girls knew about was one thing he did not need to know. Juri tapped Ibuki on the shoulder to refocus her attention.

"Pardon me," she said sarcastically, "but if you're here, where's Adon?"

"He didn't want to tag along. I did offer and I did tell him we'd meet up with you guys somewhere, but he said he wanted to talk to Dan Hibiki for awhile."

"Dan," Juri repeated disdainfully as her right eye twitched. "He went to find Dan... Any reason why, Ibuki?"

Makoto could sense the hostility in Juri's voice and cringed, knowing full well what was coming. Ibuki, however, was blissfully unaware, and that only made it worse for her.

"He wanted to know about something you did during the tournament, but since he didn't want to talk to you and Sakura wasn't around, he went to speak to Dan."

Suddenly, Ibuki was grabbed by the shoulders. Her cheerful expression instantly fell as she stared back at Juri. Her toothy scowl was menacing, and her grip was rough and unforgiving. There was no mistaking it; the Korean was angry, no, much more than that. She was furious. Asura's wrath was nothing but a temper tantrum compared to what Juri was feeling at that moment.

"Why the hell did you tell him about that?" she shouted. Immediately she could feel countless pairs of eyes on her, yet she was indifferent to them all. "He doesn't need to know about it!"

"I-I didn't tell him anything!" Ibuki cringed, clearly frightened by Juri's behavior. "I just said that Dan knew something!"

"Do you even realize how much this means to me?" Juri continued. "I have a good thing going here, and to hell with you if you think you're going to stop me! I have a chance for love, and what right do you have to take it away from me?"

Ibuki quivered in Juri's hold, too frightened to even reply.

"When did he leave?" Juri asked through bared teeth.

"J-just a few minutes ago! Maybe ten minutes ago, I don't know!" Ibuki all but screamed.

Juri cursed and released Ibuki from her grasp. She looked to the right, then back at the girls with unparalleled scorn. Honda stepped forward in an attempt to calm her down while Ibuki backed away to side with Makoto. Juri ignored them all and grunted in frustration before running off into a crowd of people, leaving a confused sumo wrestler and two worried women behind.

She shoved people aside as she exited the plaza, not bothering to look back at anyone she may have knocked over. One of the girls called out for her, but she couldn't tell who, and she didn't care. No one could pay her to give a damn at this point, not after what she had learned. She was absolutely furious with the girls for letting that incident slip to Adon. Now he's gone to Dan Hibiki... this won't end well.

Stopping outside the plaza, Juri's anger quickly subsided. It was then replaced with panic as she thought of the situation at hand. What would Adon think of her when he received Dan's version of the incident? Psychopath and whore seemed the most obvious choices, but Juri would have none of that. Her heart wouldn't be able to take it. She set out to find Dan Hibiki's Saikyo arts dojo, hoping that she reached it before Adon did.

* * *

The fanged beast walked through the streets of the town towards his destination. He received odd looks from some of the pedestrians as he moved along, but he shrugged them off. It was normal for him to walk around barefoot and shirtless in his home of Thailand, but he understood what was normal there was considered odd in Japan.

Adon looked at his left hand. A fresh set of bandages had been applied to his hand, as well as his feet, courtesy of Juri from yesterday. The bandages were black instead of white; Juri had given him some of her own to use when he wanted. The act was appreciated, and Adon smiled as he recalled what happened yesterday between the two. His smile faded when he stopped in front of a small wooden dojo.

A white sign was placed out in front above the doors. Red symbols were dotted along the sign, and Adon, knowing only his native language and English, failed to understand them. Luckily, an English translation was below the symbols. It read: "Dan Hibiki's dojo for the Saikyo arts, now accepting applicants!" The warrior frowned and entered the building, all while doing his best to ignore the impending sense of foreboding.

He stepped in and took a look around. The walls were all made of wood, as was the floor and ceiling. Numerous lights dotted the walls, lighting up the centerpiece of the dojo: A large white fighting mat. There were a few doors on the far wall, all of which were made of a much lighter colored wood. A framed picture of an older man was hanging from one door in the middle, and upon closer inspection, Adon realized it was Go Hibiki, father of Dan Hibiki.

Approaching the door, Adon mumbled to himself.

"Something tells me I'll regret this..."

Sounds were heard on the other side of the door. Adon leaned up near the door, standing just to the left of it. He raised an eyebrow; whoever was behind it was making a ruckus, as they were grumbling and shuffling about. He looked down to his broken arm, then back to the door. If it came down to a fight, he was certain he could hold his own. Knowing this, he rapped on the door with his left hand.

The sounds stopped as if the occupant had heard the noise over his or her own commotion. It was silent for a few seconds before the sounds picked up again as they approached the door. Adon made sure to get out of the way of the door opening, having heard a warning from Ibuki. Hibiki loved making dramatic entrances, she said. It would be wise to get out of the way, she said. When it opened, Adon braced himself for the eventual energetic intro.

When it didn't come, Adon leaned forward to look into the room. He quickly stepped back when he saw a man in a pink gi and black shirt roll out and onto the mat with much gusto. The man exited from his roll and leaped into the air with a shout and a quick flex of his bicep. He landed clumsily on the mat and stumbled around before regaining his footing and getting into his fighting stance.

"Alright!" he shouted out to the dojo. "Who wants to go first?"

He turned his head to look around in front of him. Finding no one in his line of sight, the man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Adon shook his head at the man, unable to chuckle at his antics. He cleared his throat once before raising a hand in defense. Hibiki wasn't as dangerous as he was unpredictable. The pink-clad man quickly turned around and looked at him as his arms went up in an awkward position of defense. He stared for a moment in his pose before finally dropping it with a grin.

"Ah ha! A visitor! Are you here to learn the Saikyo arts?" Adon cocked an eyebrow in amusement, but the pink-clad man failed to notice. "Well, you'll be happy to know that I, the world famous Dan Hibiki, can teach you all about the glory that is the Saikyo-ryu fighting style... after the standard application fee is paid of course..."

"I didn't come here to learn your mockery of Muay Thai and shotokan karate," Adon said as he took a few steps forward. "I came here to-"

"You came here for a fight," Dan interrupted as he began to pace the mat with his hands behind his back. "It's been a while since I last fought an opponent. I guess he was an OK fighter, but his moves were a terrible imitation of the Saikyo style!" He stopped pacing and looked at Adon, who stopped near the edge of the fighting mat. "Pardon me, but I want the name of my challenger."

"My name is Adon, but I'm not-"

"Adon? Never heard of you." Dan put a hand to his chin and looked up thoughtfully. "Wait a minute... bandages on the hands and feet, blue and yellow shorts, freaky haircut... Oh yeah! Now I remember!" He snapped his fingers and smirked. "You're Sagat's student aren't you? What, he can't do the deed of revenge himself, so he sends you?"

Adon scowled. This was the man his mentor spoke of when he told of throwing a fight. Long ago, Sagat had his eye gorged out by Dan's father, Go Hibiki, in a fight. In retaliation, he beat him to death. The son sought revenge against Sagat and managed to defeat him in a fight. Fortunately, Dan did not know that the Muay Thai giant had pitied him and threw the fight in his favor. Perhaps it was unfortunate that Sagat did that, as Dan's ego grew tremendously as a result.

"Are you still doing that Muay Thai thing with him?" Dan flashed a smile and a thumbs-up. "You'll never be king unless you switch over to the Saikyo arts! Want to give it a try?"

"I already said no, shut up!" Adon shouted, stamping his foot in frustration. "I didn't come here to fight you, Hibiki!" He looked away and muttered to himself. "Even with a broken arm I still could take you down."

"Well then why are you here? I'm a busy man, you see!" Dan grumbled as he inserted a finger in his ear.

"Busy eh?" Adon looked down at his feet and found a small notepad with words written on it. He bent down to pick it up and chuckled. "Busy indeed..."

Dan's eyes went wide as he looked at the notepad in Adon's hand. He looked down at his outfit, silently wondering how that object got out of his pockets. While Dan patted himself down to check for anything that may have fallen out, Adon began to read from the notepad.

"Taunt log, number nine. Step 1: Achieve distance from opponent. Step 2: Turn around 180 degrees, maintaining eye contact with opponent." Adon struggled to keep a straight face as he read the next step. "Step 3: Slap rear end twice and shake hips while discouraging opponent." With a smile he read a note at the bottom. "Taunt should inflict psychological damage."

The notepad was ripped from Adon's hand as he began laughing. Dan huffed and pocketed it, glaring at the red haired man who dared to laugh at his wonderful taunt idea.

"That taunt is for me and me only! If you use it I'll have to sue you!"

"Trust me," Adon said, holding his chest, "I don't plan on using it. It's more suited for someone without an ounce of shame, like you!"

Dan folded his arms and twitched an eyebrow.

"So you don't want to apply to the dojo and you don't want to fight me. What do you want from me then?"

"I want information from you," Adon said in a serious tone. "Do you remember anything about the S.I.N. tournament three years ago?"

"Do I ever!" Dan exclaimed. "I was on fire the whole time!"

"Really?" Adon skeptically replied.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Dan's expression drooped and his posture fell.

"Well, not all the time... I kinda forgot my wallet somewhere during."

"Interesting," Adon said sarcastically. "During the tournament your only student witnessed a one Juri Han do something... 'vile', and I believe you did too. I want to know just what happened."

"That's the name of that psycho woman from S.I.N., right?" Adon frowned and clenched his left fist, but he nodded all the same. Dan decided to continue, unaware that his words had some effect. "I didn't see her do anything, but Sakura did. I only caught the aftermath."

"The aftermath of what?"

Dan rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged.

"You might want to sit down for this one."

Adon looked around. Dan's dojo was basically four wooden walls, a wood floor and ceiling, and a fighting mat. There were no chairs anywhere. Perhaps Dan had fallen upon hard times and just didn't have the money to buy furniture with. It seemed that with no applicants applying to his dojo, he hasn't earned much. Adon looked back at Dan and shook his head.

"I'll just stand here."

"Right," Dan sighed, standing tall again. "Ok, so this is how it went down..."

* * *

_ Three years ago at Dan Hibiki's Dojo for the Saikyo arts in Japan..._

"Wahoo!"

The Hell's angel leaped over a fat blond haired man in a yellow and black jumpsuit. The wind brushed back his magnificent hair and rippled through his brilliant pink gi. Gripping his bicep with one hand, he pumped his fist and grinned wide, showing his bright and perfect teeth. Truly he was a sight to behold. His opponent hardly had time to react before Dan landed near him again. With a flash of light he crossed his arms in front of his face and shouted for the entire world to hear him.

"Victory is mine!"

He began pummeling his opponent with a flurry of punches, kicks, knees and chops. After at least twenty or so unending hits, Dan twirled around and sent his fist under the man's jaw, sending him and his opponent into the air a good twenty or so feet.

"Take that!"

Dan landed gracefully while his opponent slammed down on the white mat, down for the count. Seeing as he won, Dan twirled around and flashed yet another wonderful thumbs-up and a smile while sticking his rear out slightly. This prompted many women watching to sigh longingly at the sight. The defeated fighter mumbled and attempted to get up, but, like a turtle on his back, it was grueling work. The man in the pink gi noticed this and stepped over to him to offer a hand. Confused, yet appreciative, the fat man accepted the offer for help and lifted himself up.

"Now that wasn't so bad," Dan said with a grin. "Want to give it another go?"

"No way man, you oughtta be joking!" The fat man wiped sweat from his forehead and looked up at Dan. "I thought I was the strongest guy there was on the planet, like no one could take me on, you hear? First thing tomorrow, I'm quittin' Kung Fu and learning this Saikyo fightin' style."

A redheaded woman in a tacky outfit ran up to the man and wrapped her arms around him, or at least she tried to, as he was far too large for her hands to connect at his back.

"Oh Rufus! I always thought you were manly and handsome, but with this new training you're going to do, you'll be even manlier!"

"You think so?" Rufus smiled and rubbed the woman's hair. "Aw Candy you're a peach. A sweet, little redheaded peach."

While Rufus got an autograph from the ever-so-fantastic Dan Hibiki, two men were leaning on the far wall with unreadable expressions. Their gaze was firmly attached to the victor of the recent fight, as if they respected him. One of them had brown hair and wore a white gi with a red headband while the other had blond hair and wore a red gi, although his was much cleaner than his counterpart's. The brown-haired man nudged his counterpart and pointed to the scene in front of him.

"Were you paying attention Ken?" he asked. "You saw that right?"

"Oh I saw it alright," Ken said, frowning. "Dan just pulverized that guy, and he looked pretty awesome doing it too!"

"I'm beginning to think master Gouken was a little senile when he taught us," said the brown-haired man. "Perhaps he failed to see that Saikyo-ryu held more potential for us than the shotokan style."

"Well Ryu, you know what they say, if you can't beat 'em..."

"Join them?" Ryu replied, looking at his friend.

"That's right! Pack your bags Ryu; we're learning the art of Saikyo!"

Ryu and Ken bumped fists while a small figure approached Dan from behind. Turning around after finishing the autograph he was greeted with the sight of a young woman walking towards him. She had blond hair styled into long, over-sized ringlets with a blue bow in the back. She wore an outfit that was similar to Sakura's high school outfit; only it was red and white with a blue bola tie. Before Dan could sway her with words, she bowed politely.

"Dan Hibiki, I presume?" she asked, her voice laced with traces of pride.

"That's my name, don't wear it out!" Dan winced and added: "Wait, actually, can you do that? I could use more publicity."

"My name is Karin Kanzuki of the Kanzuki Corporation. I have seen the way you fight and I must be honest with you: I think you are the best fighter I have ever seen." She placed her hands on her hips and smiled. "You could use publicity, you say? Well, I would be more than happy to sponsor you! The world needs to know of the Saikyo arts!"

"I like the way you think! You're hired!"

Before he could even flash another trademark taunt pose, Dan was hugged from behind by an unknown person. When Dan turned around he saw a Chinese woman in a blue qipao with a bouquet of roses. The woman squealed with excitement, and why wouldn't she? It wasn't often that the world-famous Dan Hibiki took time off from perfecting the Saikyo arts to think about finding someone special.

"Dan Hibiki! _The_ Dan Hibiki! Oh please Daniel, will you please take me out on a date?" she pleaded, her hazel eyes glazed over in adoration.

She handed over the roses as Dan grinned.

"But of course! The strongest woman in the world is a perfect match for the strongest man in the world!"

Chun-Li leaned forward and planted a kiss on Dan's cheek, causing the man to blush.

'_Smooth...' _he thought. "So, how about Saturday then? I've got plenty of ti-"

He was cut off when he was lifted off of his feet by a bald one-eyed giant in blue and red kickboxing shorts. The giant was crying happily, and he squeezed the man in his arms like a giant oversized teddy bear.

"Oh Dan," he bellowed, "I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to live after what I did to your father! You are such a kind, merciful man!"

With tears streaming down his cheeks and a grin on his face, Dan had only one thought on his mind:

"This is the happiest day of my life."

* * *

"Ow!"

Dan hopped on one foot with his other held safely in his hands. Adon stood nearby with a scowl on his face, obviously unimpressed by the story. In fact, he didn't believe a word of it.

"Tell it right this time!" Adon growled.

"But I was telling it right the first time!" Dan retorted.

"I'll get your other foot then."

"Agh! W-wait a minute!" Dan stepped back with his hands out in defense. "Alright alright, I'll tell it right this time..."

* * *

_ Three years ago at Dan Hibiki's Dojo for the Saikyo arts in Japan... again..._

"Gadouken!"

Dan unleashed a medium-sized green projectile towards his opponent, a fat blond haired man in a yellow and black jumpsuit. The man flinched and closed his eyes as he brought his arms up to block the attack. However, the projectile dissipated at a comically short range of a foot or so. One of Dan's comically arched eyebrows twitched in frustration. Opening his eyes, the fat man stared at Dan with a mix of bewilderment and confusion.

"What was that man? Was that some sort of attack or somethin'? It looked like some kind of plasma beam…" He dropped his arms as he continued ranting. "I mean, I've seen a lot of weird stuff in my life man, like aliens, freaky guys in tights, floating dudes, and even a-"

"Saikyo!" Dan shouted as he crossed his arms in front of his face.

"Wha? What the heck is a Sai-"

A punch to the face silenced the man, as well as a flurry of punches, kicks, knees and chops. After ten hits, Dan twirled around and ended with an uppercut, also known as a koryuken, to the man's stomach. Immediately, all the breath left the fat man as he gasped in pain. Despite his size and weight, the sheer force of the attack was enough to lift both him and his opponent into the air.

"Wahoo!"

Coming down from his awkward dragon punch, Dan flashed a smile and a thumbs-up while sticking his rear end out: his trademark pose. Sitting near the mat was an orange-haired green man in tan shorts. His attention was on a banana he held in his hand, completely oblivious to the fight. With this in mind, he looked more like a feral beast than he did a man. The fat man in the yellow jumpsuit rolled over on his back, mumbling to himself as he pushed himself off the floor.

"-and to top it all off I get beaten by some huge breast cancer awareness fanatic who can't even... bah, ain't worth my time..."

A redheaded woman in a tacky outfit ran up to the man from the sidelines.

"Oh Rufus!" she said, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Rufus said, avoiding eye contact with the woman. "I lost though... to that guy..."

"It's alright Rufus!" the woman said cheerfully. "I don't care if you lose, I care that you're alright!"

"You mean you'll still love me even if I'm a loser?"

"Of course I love you Rufus!" She gave him a peck on the cheek and leaned into him. "And you're not a loser in my eyes!"

"Really?" Rufus asked, relieved.

"You've won my heart, so that makes you a winner!"

"You think so?" Rufus smiled and rubbed the woman's back. "Aw Candy you're a peach. A sweet, little redheaded peach." Taking her hand in his, he looked to the doors of the dojo. "Whadaya say we go find that Ken Masters? I've got a score to settle with him!"

The redheaded woman nodded, and soon both of them walked out of the dojo. The door slid back into its original spot behind them, leaving an awkward silence in the dojo. Meanwhile, the winner of the recent fight stood nearby with tears streaming down his face. He sat down and looked at the doors, motioning towards them with his hands.

"You see that Jimmy? I just beat that guy, and he finds another way to win!" he whined.

Jimmy, also known as Blanka, looked up from his banana peel.

"Arroo?" he grunted, standing up. "But you were stronger than him!"

"Yeah, I know that! But why can't I get a girl like that?"

Blanka lumbered over to Dan and placed a clawed hand on his shoulder.

"Dan, you are a good man. I'm sure you'll find a mate... someday."

The Saikyo master wiped his tears. Blanka was his best friend, if not his only friend. Sakura was regarded more as a student than a friend, seeing as Dan taught her everything about Saikyo only for her to _purposely _forget it all the next day. If Dan held grudges, he would have never let Sakura get away with using him to get to Ryu, but thankfully the man simply brushed off the disappointment. Looking at the Brazilian beast-man next to him, he raised an eyebrow.

"Wait... a mate?"

The door to the dojo suddenly slid open to reveal a young woman in a Japanese high school outfit. She placed a gloved hand on one of the walls to prop herself up with. Her breaths were labored as if she was winded or in pain, seeing as she had her other hand clutching her side. In between breaths she spoke.

"Hibiki-san... I need... I need your help..."

Dan rose from the floor and smiled warmly, completely oblivious to Sakura's condition. For all he knew, his student must have heard about her teacher's fight and rushed to see it.

"Hey kid, what's up?"

"Hibiki-san, something terrible has happened at the old temple, and something terrible is happening right now under the overpass!" she groaned.

"Woah kid, what is it?" Dan questioned as he took a few steps towards Sakura. "Where are the two friends that you told me about?"

Sakura shook her head. When she met Ibuki, she told her that she had another friend coming around for a fight. Ibuki had wanted to find a cool boy, and the only man Sakura thought was interesting was Ryu. He wasn't around, so the next option was Dan. When she called Dan, she had told him about her two new friends and was planning on bringing them over to the dojo. Makoto seemed especially interested in seeing the Saikyo dojo, although Sakura had no idea why.

"Beat up! They were knocked out by some psychotic woman in purple!"

"Are you alright?"

"Sort of," she replied, standing straight without the aid of the nearby wall. "After she beat my friends up, she left towards the overpass. I tried to stop her, but she kicked me away. It really, really hurt, but I got back up and followed her again and saw her in a fight with someone else."

"Come on kid, I can get this woman!" Dan shouted confidently as he began to stride to the doors.

"Wait Hibiki-san! You don't know what you're getting into!"

"Of course I do," Dan exclaimed as he grinned and flexed a bicep. "I'm going to fight this woman, and I'm going to beat her good for what she did to you!"

"But she's strong!"

Dan's grin faded. He dropped his arms and nervously rubbed the back of his neck as his eyebrows arched in concern.

"Uh... how strong?" he asked with some hesitation.

"Stronger than Chun-Li, at least, that's what I think." Sensing that Dan was demoralized, Sakura sought to uplift his spirits. She jumped in front of him with a pleading look. "Please Hibiki-san! You have to help! You can beat her, I know you can!"

Dan's lip quivered. If Chun-Li wasn't the strongest woman in the world anymore, how was he going to fare against this new foe? Most of his opponents were new fighters who were just getting started with their careers, and still Dan lost the majority of his matches. But yet, there were people depending on him. Letting people down was not something he enjoyed doing. Sakura needed him, and now was not the time for him to back out. With an arrogant scratch of his nose, Dan nodded with renewed confidence.

"Darn right I can! Is she under the overpass right now?"

"Yes, she is, but she's doing something vile to another fighter under there!"

"Come on, we'll talk on the way there!" Dan ran to the door and shouted over his shoulder at Blanka. "Jimmy! Guard the dojo until I come back!"

Blanka blinked in boredom as he looked around. Nothing needed guarding, but he wasn't about to shatter his friend's good mood by saying otherwise. He scratched his backside and watched as Dan and Sakura ran outside without even bothering to close the doors behind them. The schoolgirl quickly took off in a direction with her teacher falling in behind her. After a few tiring seconds of running, she looked back to see Dan struggling to keep up. She slowed her pace as he gasped for breath.

"T-tell me about this woman Sakura," he grunted, already breaking a sweat. "Also, tell me about this guy she's with over there!"

"She's got black hair, white pants with bits of purple, and a black and purple top... without a bra," Sakura added, feeling embarrassed for whoever the woman was.

"She's going commando?" Dan cried with wide eyes.

"What?" Sakura replied, casting a confused glance at her teacher. "No! Just the bra! Focus Hibiki-san!"

"Right, right... What about this fighter guy you were talking about?"

"He's an American, I think. He's got handcuffs and a blue and white striped outfit."

"So… what is this half-naked woman doing to a convict? Nothing good I guess, althou-"

Sakura stopped near a stone pillar that supported the overpass. She grabbed Dan and placed him next to her, putting a finger to her lips. Having quieted Dan, she peered out from the cover of the stone pillar.

There was an old, rusted out hulk of a tiny white truck nearby, along with another, equally rusted red car. Various bits of junk were scattered about, adding to the image that this place was out of view from the public. A red bicycle was lying against another stone support, its handles worn out and damaged. In the general middle of the area, bits of grass sprouted up and out from the dirt, which bore a few footprints from a recent scuffle. Other than that, nothing was out of the ordinary.

"But they were here awhile ago!" whispered Sakura, gesturing to the open space.

"Well, I guess the woman took that man away." Dan grinned sheepishly and slowly turned away from the area. "So… can I go home now?"

"Wait Hibiki-san!" Sakura pulled Dan back to the pillar and stood silently for a moment. "Did you hear that?"

The Saikyo master raised an eyebrow and listened for what his student may have heard. Nothing but the sounds of the tram system and overpass greeted his ears. He was about to shrug and walk off when he heard something coming from a nearby bush. The bush was emitting groaning noises and shaking slightly with each groan. Curiosity gripped the two fighters, and they stepped away from the pillar to examine the oddity.

Upon closer inspection, they found a blond-haired man behind the bush. The man had a bloody nose and was rubbing his head, paying no mind to the fact that his hands were handcuffed. He was wearing a blue and white striped shirt, white shoes, and white boxers with red hearts printed over them. Sakura quickly stepped back with a gasp, slightly embarrassed upon seeing the sight. Dan sniggered lightly at the scene before Sakura mustered up her courage to speak to the man.

"Excuse me, sir? Are you alright?" she asked.

The man looked up and stared dully at Dan and Sakura.

"Hey kid, does it look like I'm alright?" he replied in a bored tone.

"N-no..."

"What happened to you?" Dan asked as he tried to hide his smile. He pointed to the convict's boxers. "Where are your pants?"

"I asked that question myself." Standing up, the convict motioned towards the open area under the overpass. "Here I was, walking around, looking for something to cure my boredom. Suddenly this chick comes outta nowhere looking for a fight, rubbing up on me like she adores me or somethin'. Next thing I know, I'm lying on the ground and she's on top of me." The man scratched his head, the motion causing the handcuffs attached to his wrists to rustle audibly. "I don't remember much after that..."

Dan rubbed his chin and thought a minute. Sakura looked at her teacher, then back at the handcuffed man. She clasped her hands together as she came up with an idea as to what happened. If this man was defeated by this vile woman, she would have done something to him given the current out-of-sight location. The fact that the man had no pants was concerning, and Sakura was willing to bet that the unspeakable had happened.

"Do you think she... you know..."

"Look kid, I'm not sure of anything at the moment. Some psycho chick was on top of me, I'm not sure if she did anything to me, I'm beaten up, covered in sweat, and most importantly, my pants are gone." He sighed and looked away. "I haven't been this confused since Poison…"

"Who?" both teacher and student asked.

"Uh... none of you guys' business," the convict grunted. "Now if you excuse me..."

Yawning, the man walked off towards a trash can that was lying on its side near a stone pillar. He picked up a shabby coat from the trash pile and tied it around his lower body to cover up his boxers to some extent. Dan and Sakura looked on as the man walked off into the distance, disgusted. They weren't disgusted at the man; they were appalled by the thought of that woman going too far. Whoever she was, she was trouble, and more importantly, she was evil, cruel, manipulative, and vile.

* * *

"Happy?" Dan asked after he finished his part of the story.

Adon did not respond. Although Dan had not yet said the word, Adon could gather what that situation in the past meant. He managed to comprehend the idea that women could do such a thing, but he couldn't fathom Juri carrying out the deed on the convict. It was in the past, right? That was enough reason for Adon to keep it there, but he was curious and wanted to know how it would affect him if he was in a relationship with her. Was Juri truly a monster whose id ran her life, or was Dan failing to recall the important details?

"I'm having trouble believing this," Adon said as he glared at Dan. "Have you ever confronted her about that?"

"Asking if she's ever raped someone is an invitation for death!" Dan replied with disgust.

"She hasn't killed me yet, and there's only one way to find out."

With that statement, Adon started to move over to the exit. Dan stared at his retreating form as if he was looking at a madman. He raised his arms and shouted in disbelief.

"You're going to ask her about this? What are you, insane?"

Frowning, Adon replied:

"I may be crazy but I am not insane. Crazy about what, I do not know. Is it my honor or is it a desire for knowledge?" Sighing, Adon shook his head. "Maybe it is Juri… Agh, I'm getting to the bottom of this."

"Oh god! It's worse than I thought!" Dan dropped to his knees and dramatically reached out towards Adon. "Don't do this, bro! She's a damn succubus like Morrigan!"

A silence filled the room. It wasn't as awkward as it was tense, as the weight of what Dan had just said slowly came down on Adon like a crushing wave of icy water. His shoulders hunched and his left hand fell from the sliding door. For some reason, whether it was chivalry or respect, he was angered at Dan's choice of words in regard to Juri. He had no time to wonder why, instead choosing to act. In one swift motion he turned and approached Dan on the ground with a clenched fist.

"What did you call her?" he growled threateningly as he looked down his nose at the man.

"A... succubus?" Dan meekly replied as he smiled sheepishly, albeit timidly.

Before Dan could say anything more, Adon reached down with his left hand and grabbed onto the collar of his black shirt. He pulled him up to his feet and held him up a little as he glared at him. It was an intimidating position for Dan, and Adon knew this well. Seeing as his other arm was in a sling, the man leaned into the quivering Saikyo master and brought his voice down to a harsh whisper.

"I don't know what really happened, but gods help me if I'd ever believe your words over hers. If I hear you call her anything like that again, I will personally tear you-"

The sound of the sliding door opening stopped Adon from finishing his threat. In Dan's eyes he could see fear, and it was directed towards him as well as a familiar figure behind him. He knew who it was, and he reluctantly loosened his grip on Dan long enough for the man to stagger away. Slowly, Adon turned to face the figure with a grimace.

"And along came a spider..." he muttered.


	8. Confessions

** Disclaimer: Street Fighter and its characters do not belong to me. Every wacky character belongs to CAPCOM. Yes, even Dan Hibiki.**

* * *

"And along came a spider…"

Adon looked over at the woman standing in the doorway of the dojo and grimaced. The timing of her arrival couldn't have been worse for her. Juri had failed to stop Dan from spilling the beans, and as a consequence, she had to face the Thai man again, only this time on a verbal front. Panting, she leaned forward and struggled to find her breath. Any other kind of physical exertion wouldn't have even put a dent in her stamina, but she was stressed during it all.

All of the worst outcomes and possibilities swam through Juri's mind as she ran. How would Adon react? Would he scowl in disappointment and leave immediately? His arm was just about fully healed, so that was a possibility. Would he verbally assault her and bring her to tears? The former was more likely than the latter, although as much as Juri wanted to deny it, she too cried, although it was a very rare occasion for her to do so. She caught her breath and looked up at Adon with a guilty look.

"H-how much did you hear?" she asked quietly, barely even a whisper.

"I've heard enough," Adon said flatly.

Juri quickly composed herself and walked inside. Her premonition was correct: the memory of that day did come back to haunt her. Her only hope was to convince Adon to hear her side of the story. Trust was hard to come by, so instead she chose to rely on hope. Even if it was a false hope to believe Adon would be calm enough to listen, it was hope nonetheless.

"Do you believe it?" she asked.

Adon stared at her for a moment, although he refused to meet her gaze. He slowly shook his head and gave a cursory glance towards Dan before looking into Juri's eyes.

"He told me what I wanted to know about that day beneath the overpass. Even after hearing his story… I still don't know what to believe."

"Well, tell me what you know."

"I know that you fought the girls and fled to an overpass. You were seen with a convict and you were seen on top of him after he was defeated. Sakura, the one who saw all this, left to inform Dan." Adon shook his head and continued in a disappointed tone. "They found the man in a bush without any pants, and when spoken to, he remembered you above all else."

Juri winced at his knowledge.

"Do you have any more evidence to prove that I..."

"No, but isn't the fact that a man was seen with you, then later on without pants in a dazed state enough evidence?" He clenched a fist, looking away from her. "I don't want to believe this... but I can't help but think this is something you actually could have done."

Before Adon could continue his train of thought, Juri walked up to him and gave him a pleading look.

"Wait," she entreated. "Before you do anything, I want you to hear me out. It's not what you might think, and I only want you to hear my side of the story." Juri took a breath and clasped her hands together. "…Please."

Adon looked over again at Dan, who was eagerly listening in on the conversation. Upon making eye contact, the Saikyo master waved his hands in a negative manner and mouthed the word 'no' over and over again. It wasn't that he was trying to keep information from Adon; it was just that he felt the need to prevent him from getting duped. Adon scowled, figuring he would make up his mind on his own without being persuaded.

"Do you trust me?" Juri said, prompting Adon to look back at her.

He wanted to. Ever since he met her in Japan she had been wonderful, although just as flawed as he was. That first night in the restaurant where she explained herself to him, the admiration of his figure from below, her promises... He couldn't help but trust her after all he went through. After all, Juri deserved it. Sighing, he nodded.

"Yes," he said. "I do. But I want to know everything that happened."

Juri looked to the door. Her story would be a long one to tell, depending on where Adon wanted her to start from. It would also be the first time she has told anyone about the incident. Not even the other girls knew the truth. They didn't care about it and decided they would still look at Juri as they did now, but she knew better than to believe them. Because of what she had done in the past, the dark shadow of her deeds would always follow her wherever she went.

Could someone see past the shadow and see Juri for who she truly was? Could that be Adon? Would he listen, and would he understand?

"Come on, we'll talk on the way back to the dojo," Juri replied, lifting her chin with a bit of renewed confidence.

They began to walk to the door when Dan's voice cut through the once-respectable silence.

"You guys are leaving so soon? What about me?" he asked indignantly.

"What about you?" Juri replied coldly over her shoulder. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you have a pathetic little cab to drive?"

Dan grumbled and turned away. In order to survive, he had to take a second job as a cab driver. It was actually a wonder how he even managed to survive this long in the dojo business without a steady income. Perhaps such questions of finances were better left unanswered. The pink-clad man strode into his personal room and shut the door behind him without as much as an angry slam to be remembered. Most likely a heavy slam would just send the door off its hinges.

There was no sympathy Adon could give the man. Instead, he followed Juri out of the dojo and watched wordlessly as she nudged the door she came in back to its original position. She looked over at Adon and was just a little unnerved at how he was so focused on her. Sure, he wanted information, but what he planned on doing with that was known only to him. Juri sighed and walked off. She didn't bother to ascertain that he was following.

Suddenly, the oddest feeling washed over her. It was a feeling that she hadn't experienced in a while, and although it was familiar in one sense, it was foreign in another. She was being watched. By who, she did not know, but the eyes of whoever was doing it were strange and eerily familiar. She stopped in mid-step and glanced over her shoulder, searching into a small throng of people for whoever was enticing her uneasiness. Her stomach dropped with a dangerous sense of foreboding…

Ignorant of what Juri was going through at the moment, Adon passed her and grumbled under his breath. Part of him dreaded whatever Juri had to tell him, but another part of him relished her words. He was actually glad that she had arrived to plead her case, as it saved him from overexerting himself on Dan. But that was just his pride talking. The sounds of footsteps behind him picked up and quickly diminished once they reached his side. Juri had returned.

"I'm waiting," Adon muttered without turning his head to look at the woman beside him.

"Where should I begin?" she asked him, uncertainty in her voice as she gave a cursory glance back at the dojo.

"The kunoichi and karate child told me of their encounter with you." He turned to Juri and smiled weakly. "Why don't you start from there?"

A gentle breeze blew down the path they walked upon. Juri looked down at the gravel and sighed again. The sun was beginning to set in the distance, and immediately she could see that her world had dimmed in response. By the time the two of them would have reached the dojo, it would be dusk. With one last glance directed towards the man at her side, she closed her eyes and began her story.

_'Well, here goes nothing…'_

* * *

_ Three years ago, near an overpass in Japan..._

"Hey! W-wait a minute!"

Juri scoffed and shook her head. She had just finished fighting and defeating two of her targets and had left the scene quickly, however, that infuriating little schoolgirl had trailed her. She had tied the yellow scarf from the karate girl around her left arm where the ninja cut her. Already the bright yellow cloth showed bits of crimson, but not enough to make the wound serious. Looking over her shoulder, Juri gave a cool response.

"Get bent. And stop following me around."

"You can't just beat up my friends like that!" The girl exclaimed as she moved to block Juri's path.

The girl was asking for it in Juri's eyes. Even though she wasn't a target, the Korean was more than prepared to dispatch her if need be. It wasn't often that someone tried to be the hero and stop her from performing her duties. A desire for fun and excitement might be reason enough to watch her suffer, but, as fun as the thought was, Juri chose to deal with the girl in another manner.

"Geez," she muttered, frowning. "What do you want kid? Do you want me to go back there and apologize to them for breaking their bones? Want me to give them a kiss to make it all better?"

"You're a terrible woman, you know that? What kind of monster enjoys seeing others in pain?"

Juri cocked a thumb at herself and sneered.

"Thanks for the compliment, sister. I don't suppose you know what sadism and schadenfreude are, right? No, of course not, you're an innocent little flower," Juri said in a patronizing and sarcastic tone. "One my greatest turn ons…" She lifted her thumb to her throat and slid it across like a blade, all while keeping the same intimidating expression. "…Is watching people kick it in front of me."

The high school student flinched at her comment and visibly paled. Her comment, combined with her appearance and her demeanor, was not to be taken lightly. The Korean woman truly looked like someone who got off at seeing the life drain from the eyes of her opponents. Backing away, the student struggled to decide whether or not to run or fight. It didn't help her that she was terrified of this new psychotic woman, and all the evidence pointed to that being the correct adjective.

Juri menacingly advanced towards the student with a hand against her ear.

"What's that? Oh, you're finished? Goodie. Outta my way," Juri said, pushing the student aside. Walking towards a secluded area under an overpass, she grumbled over her shoulder: "Other than being a self-righteous brat, I've got no problem with you."

The woman responsible for possibly putting her two friends in intensive care was just waltzing away without so much as an obstacle in her path. The student was no hero, and she had no desire to be one despite being around a multitude of lawful role models. However, her own personal hero fought not only for the thrill but for what was right, and the student knew this well. If it was the right thing to stop this woman, she would follow the example.

Her normally cheerful face contorted into a grim scowl as she clenched her fists. Her friends needed her, as did a lot of other people who would have the misfortune of stumbling upon the Korean blood knight. She couldn't let them down, especially now when she had the golden opportunity to put a stop to the woman. With a firm resolve, she moved forward to find the woman just moving into the shade of the overpass.

"Hmm?" Juri turned around and noticed the girl. "Are you still angry about that little fight? God, get over it!" She looked at the scowl the girl wore, then at her balled up fists. A malevolent grin worked its way onto her face as she leaned against a concrete pillar. "Oh I see... you want to play with me too. Well then, come at me girly."

Juri watched with a bored look as the girl sent a punch flying to her face. Before it could connect, she darted out of the way with blinding speed. A cry echoed throughout the area. The student, having missed her mark, smashed her fist into the concrete pillar with a sickening crunch. With a devilish smile, Juri appeared behind the student and whispered softly into her ear.

"Over here…"

She waited until her 'victim' turned to face her before attacking. Whether it was honor or a quick attempt at humor, she usually tapped her targets on the shoulder or tried other means of getting their attention before smashing their face in. The wide eyes of her new victim did nothing to stop her from planting her foot firmly in her stomach. Gasping, the student felt her breath leave her. Juri pressed on and shoved the girl into the concrete pillar, stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"I told you before," Juri hissed, "I had no problem with you. But now you're just too much of a pain to keep alive." She twisted her foot further into the girl's abdomen while reaching for something attached to her black and purple belt. A black kunai blade eerily gleamed in the dull light. "One of these babies across the windpipe," she started, bringing the kunai to the girl's neck, "and you'll be out of my hair for good."

The student's struggles ended immediately upon feeling the cold metal against her throat. Paralyzed with fear, she clenched her eyes shut and whimpered softly. Juri could see that she was crying, and while that added to her sadistic pleasure, the image enticed another emotion: pity. Her smile faded at the feeling, and she stared at the girl for a few long seconds to take in her frightened whimpers. Grunting in displeasure, she leaned into the girl's ear and whispered.

"Do you want to die here, alone and forgotten?"

A squeak from the girl and a shake of head signified a negative answer.

"Next time, think before you screw with me. If you get in my way again, I will kill you."

Juri removed the blade from the girl's throat and attached it back on her belt with the others. Next, she removed her foot from the stomach of the girl to give her a fleeting chance of escape. Before the girl could even breathe a sigh of relief, Juri changed her stance to raise her foot up to the girl's shoulder. She pulled her down to the ground face-first with that foot and jumped up to strike at her exposed back with a different foot. After stomping on her back a second time, she hopped off and stood over her twitching victim.

"I'm not here to tussle with weak little schoolgirls," Juri muttered as she looked down her nose as the girl. "I prefer a challenge."

She left the unconscious girl where she was and moved under the overpass. It seemed that the place was a fair spot for children to play in, given the yellow umbrella in a rusted-out white truck, scattered toys, and writings on a nearby pillar. Curious, Juri approached the pillar and squatted down to read the childish scribbles. Some of them were simple words, poking fun at other children, while others were delicate drawings of everyday things such as cars, animals, and loved ones. Luckily, the children who usually came to this area were in school, unable to witness what was soon to happen in this very spot.

Looking up, Juri spotted more writings. These ones were separated from the others by a substantial height. She made a guess on the reason for the separation: the children who played here before had grown, having become older and more mature. These writings reflected their hopes, dreams, love interests and ambitions. In a way, Juri envied them. They lived their lives, blissfully ignorant of the evil that resided in the world.

She shook her head and silently cursed herself. Now was not the time to reminisce. She had a job to do, and she would see it through. Standing up, she leaned against the pillar with her eyes closed as she searched around in her mind for information. She remembered clobbering a dancing fool, a large tribal man, a 'gentleman', some Turkish oil wrestler, a boring ninja and the two new girls. Two of her targets had just been taken out from the tournament, and now only two others remained.

Her mind went back to when she was in the S.I.N. headquarters mulling over files of the nine new fighters. She pushed the fighters she had eliminated out of her mind and focusing on two men. Thanks to her photographic memory, she remembered what the convict and Muay Thai fighter looked like. The spastic little gremlin that was Adon was pushed aside in favor of the one in the blue and white striped uniform.

Rumor had it that the convict was none other than Cody Travers, the hero of Metro City. He was sighted to be wandering the outskirts of Japan. Why Cody was in Japan was a mystery, and an even bigger one was how he managed to escape from America in that outfit. Juri came to the conclusion that she simply did not care as to the reason why he was here, and furthermore, she did not care how he or any fighter managed to get around the world so quickly.

Sounds of sneakers on soft grass reached her ears. She sensed someone was coming near, and she opened her eyes to look in the direction of the sound. Sure enough, her target presented himself to her in all his dull and forgotten glory as he walked underneath the overpass wearing an apathetic expression. He was a tall one; she figured at least six feet tall. His appearance was unkempt: dirty blond hair and a face that desperately needed a shave. He was wearing a blue and white striped prison uniform. His hands were handcuffed, but the chain that held his hands together was long, doing hardly anything to inhibit his movements.

Well, that meant he could fight.

Juri smiled. Cody Travers didn't look like he knew any fighting styles, just plain street fighting. Everyone she fought up to this point had a style they fought in, whether it was karate, ninjutsu, grappling, or boxing. Those people were tedious, as they never switched things up to make things interesting for her. Perhaps this man would be fun to fight.

"Well, what have we here?" Juri said to the convict. "What's a bad boy like you doing out here away from home?"

Cody stopped and turned to look at her. To him, he was looking at a shady woman with an odd and eerie hairstyle. She held strange knives on her belt and she sported a slightly wounded arm. Add that description along with the fact that she was in a secluded area under an overpass, his mind could only come up with one answer: one peculiar-looking prostitute.

"Not interested," he gruffly replied before starting to walk forward again.

"But aren't you looking for a good time?" Juri got off from the pillar and stepped in front of the man. "Come on, play with me."

"Look lady, I ain't that type of guy."

"You're not a fighter?"

"Fighter? Yeah I fight, what's that got to do w-" He stopped himself and looked away with a scoff. "Oh wait; you're a fighter too aren't you?"

"Well Mr. Travers," she said with a finger on her lips, "what did you think I was?"

"A hooker," he bluntly replied. "And how do you know my name?"

Juri shrugged at his statement and laughed at his question.

"You wrote it down when you entered the tournament. I know many things about you, Cody." She walked around him slowly as she looked at him in a sultry manner. "Taking down a band of street thugs in your hometown, getting thrown in jail for your vigilante stunts, losing a ditz of a woman while you sulk in your cell... I've been looking for you for quite some time."

Cody rubbed his head.

"I wouldn't call Jessica a ditz, but whatever." He ceased ruffling his hair and slouched forward with an inquisitive expression. "Who are you then? Did Haggar send you? Man's gettin' desperate if he's sending hookers."

Juri chuckled and turned her body to face the man.

"Nobody you should concern yourself over, and stop with all the compliments. You're making me blush," she said sarcastically.

"If the Mayor's got no beef with me, then why the hell are you bothering me?" Cody grumbled.

Something in the air changed as Cody was approached by the woman. He looked into her eyes and saw a hint of lust and longing, and it immediately reminded him of a similar situation with a certain pink-haired dominatrix. Juri placed a hand on his chest and leaned into him with a small lick of her lips. Looking up at him, she smiled mischievously.

"I feel like being naughty," she cooed. "Come on, let's have some fun!"

Cody broke free from her hold and stepped back with an aghast expression.

"Woah there, you're asking for something I don't do anymore."

"You don't consider yourself on the good side anymore?" Juri shook her head and turned to walk away. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I guess that ninja was wrong about you."

"Ninja? What in the h-" Cody stopped himself mid-sentence, having formed one name in his head. He frowned and pointed an accusing finger at Juri. "…Are you talking about Guy? Alright lady, just what did you do?"

Giggling, Juri turned around.

"Oh, I was wondering who that dope was! I broke his legs."

"Why the hell did you do that?" Cody growled.

"Meh, I did it just for fun. Let him limp instead of run for a change."

Cody's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped in shock. He couldn't remember the last time he fought someone who truly needed a beating. All his last opponent needed was better cooking skills. This woman seemed psychotic enough to throw herself at him and beat up his best friend for pleasure, and then she had the audacity to drink up his cries of anguish. Despite not being on good speaking terms, Guy was like a brother to the bored convict. Cody didn't consider himself to be a hero anymore, but that didn't mean he couldn't give those in need of punishment a good beatdown.

"Well then," Cody growled, cracking his knuckles, "you want fun? I think I can pencil you into my busy schedule."

"About damn time!" Juri grinned and got into her fighting stance. "Let's enjoy ourselves…"

Not bothering for Cody's response, Juri leaped into the air. She repositioned herself at the peak of her arc and launched herself at Cody with a leg extended. It was this quick, powerful strike at the beginning that caught him off guard. Juri slammed a foot into his torso and lashed out with a strike to his head, but she grunted in displeasure when he raised his hands to block the attack. Seeing as he would retaliate quickly if she landed, she pushed off of him and back into the air with a devilish cackle.

Cody stepped back as Juri landed away from him. He bent down to the ground to pick up a good-sized rock and flung it towards Juri with as much strength as he could muster. The rock impacted hard against her side, enticing a pained gasp. Scowling, she shouted to him:

"Throwing rocks? My, you are a bad boy!"

"No holds barred, lady," he replied, shrugging. "Anything goes!"

The spider smiled and lifted her leg high into the air with her purple ki energy flowing around it. She could feel the power radiating from that leg, as well as from every pore on her body. A projectile could be used now, but she put her foot back down on the ground and waited for the convict to make his move. Fighting a character such as him would be a challenge seeing as his fighting style seemed reckless and unpredictable if the thrown rock was any indication.

Cody dashed forward and dropped any spare rocks he may have had with him. He jabbed at her sides with a few punches, all of which were blocked by Juri's defensive stance. Repetition would wear her down, but he wanted a quick knockout. He went in for a sidewinder strike, ducking down and twisting right to come back up with a hard punch to her side when she fell for his ducking feint. The attack sent her stumbling to the left, leaving her slightly disoriented.

"Bingo," Cody chuckled before performing the same attack again.

This time, Juri ducked. From her crouching position she twisted her body up to slam a leg into Cody from below, jarring him up. She wouldn't allow him to recover so quickly, so she stood up to plant an elbow into his ribs. From there she continued her assault with a few meager kicks before jumping up to knee him in the jaw. She could feel Cody's jaw rattle under the force of her strike. With both combatants in the air, Juri twisted around and kicked him hard in the stomach to send him off and away.

She rushed towards him as he fell to the ground face first. She put her foot down with a growl of determination as she reeled back to charge up a crippling blow. Cody quickly rolled over to his back and slapped something up towards Juri's face. Whatever it was, it got her to lose focus and stumble back with irritated eyes. It was either dirt or sand, but she had no time to determine which. Removing her hands from her eyes, Juri saw Cody stand up with a small knife in his hand.

"You're quite the street magician," Juri said as she flicked away the debris from her face. "You can pull out rocks, sand and knives like rabbits out of a hat…" She giggled and equipped one of the kunoichi's kunai. She held it securely in the palm of her hand and flashed Cody a dangerous look. "Pull out a good fight if you want a satisfied audience."

Cody grunted in response and squared his shoulders before slashing at her with his knife. It was unknown how he got a hold of a knife, seeing as it would be hard for an obvious convict to get a weapon. Then again, Cody lived on the streets. He knew where to find things, and how to get them.

Cold steel met the dark metal of the kunoichi's, or rather Juri's, kunai. Cody's knife glanced off of hers with a shrill clang and scraping sound. What had started as a simple fight had turned into a deadly scuffle. Juri was never one to use weapons, as she favored doing her jobs personally without manufactured extensions of power. Although the first time she had used a knife was when her target was incapacitated, she possessed superior hand-eye coordination and reflexes which were just enough to stem the tide of retaliating slashes from the convict.

As Juri swiped at Cody's torso, she wondered how ninjas could ever fight with the tiny kunai blades. They looked like artistic pieces of flint that some farmer made on an off day. Perhaps they were more suited to being throwing daggers, but the sheer size of the head raised doubts. Either way, Juri figured that if it could pierce the skin or protect her, it was good enough for her. She backed off when Cody's blade came close to her nose. The two got into a small rhythm with their weapons, clashing and sparking and occasionally cursing when the other kicked or punched.

"So lady," Cody grunted as he parried a strike from Juri, "who do you work for?"

"Damn," she cursed, blocking another swipe. "Your toy sucks."

To prove her point, she parried Cody's blade again and knocked it back. With her free hand she reached up to punch him across the face in a quick hook. The faint taste of copper filled the convict's mouth as he dropped his knife. With a dull thud, the weapon stuck into the ground and stayed there. Cody's eyes widened when Juri, instead of running him through with her own blade, hooked a leg around one of his own and pulled back. Immediately the man lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"I hate weapons," Juri started as she tossed her kunai blade over her shoulder. "They're just so… impersonal…"

Cody scrambled back to his feet and glared daggers at the woman. She took away his knife, so that meant that he didn't have a weapon to fight with anymore. He used to have a monkey wrench with him, but it proved too cumbersome to carry around freely. A steel pipe was a good choice for a weapon, but all the pipes he found around him were securely attached to the concrete pillars around him. He rubbed his head and he looked up at the pillars in thought.

Juri sneered at his predicament. The man was looking for a plan B, and with his knife taken away from him, whatever plans he would come up with wouldn't be as lethal as they were before. He had the impression that the woman was going to kill him, and that was precisely what Juri wanted. If she had a target that fought as if their very life depended on it, it only made the battle more interesting and enjoyable.

The energy in her legs was begging to be released, and she wholeheartedly agreed. Since Cody was distracted, she decided now was the best time to unleash her projectile. She twirled and sent the dark energy out into the world to hover along the ground at a menacing pace. Slightly drained from the withdrawal from her ki bank, she moved forward to follow up on whatever opportunities her attack would give her.

Cody's eyebrow twitched in amusement as he saw the attack in the corner of his eye. His bored and lethargic personality was usually mistaken for negligence, but he was no slouch. With an almost inhuman strength, he leaped over the projectile towards a surprised Juri, who soon found a counterattack headed her way. Cody slammed an elbow into her from above and drove her to her knees with a pained grunt. Picking himself up from the drop, he ducked forward and rammed his fist under her jaw.

Stars entered the woman's vision before she was flung into the air. Her body stayed airborne for a few seconds before she crashed back down to Earth with a thud. Opening her eyes, she could see Cody's sneakers not too far off in the distance.

"We finished practicing now?" he droned.

_'Real nice effort there, idiot__,' _Juri berated herself. She pushed herself back up to her feet with a small whimper of pain. _'This isn't working out so well... Another attack and that's it for you.' _She looked over at Cody, who yawned upon making eye contact. _'But I've got an idea...'_

She smirked as her left eye twitched.

"Oh man," she sighed, "that felt good. Give me more!" Placing her hands behind her head, Juri slowly swayed left to right suggestively, provocatively. Cody's eyes went wide with disbelief as he stared at the sight before him. "Go on," she purred, "attack me wherever you want."

Cody shook his head and shrugged. Hell, why not? If the woman wanted to throw the fight by offering herself up as a punching bag, then so be it. He rocketed forward with a leg extended and almost cracked a smile when he saw Juri's eyes widen. A loud cry rang throughout the area as Juri found a foot lodged firmly in her stomach. She keeled over and almost fell to the ground had it not been for Cody's leg keeping her up.

"Now I'm going to ask again," he said, continuing to hold his foot in her abdomen. "Just who are you, and who do you work for?"

A terrible sense of foreboding washed over the convict as he watched Juri lift her head to stare at him. The largest and most malicious of grins appeared across her features.

"I'm an irrepressible force!" Juri yelled as she activated her eye. It made a screeching sound as it went to work, and immediately its owner could feel the effects running rampant through her veins. The eye glowed an evil purple haze and made an eerie trail as Juri pushed away from Cody. "And I'm through playing around!"

Before he could even attempt to stop her, she punched him square in the jaw. Her flailing had just begun, and he would be taken along for the ride. With amazing speed she struck him with numerous blows, the majority of them kicks. She would not allow him to recover and attack, but she did toy with him. Darting behind him as he swung uselessly at her last location, she continued her assault.

When an opportunity arose for a counterattack, Cody took it. He broke away from her and swung his fist down at Juri in an overhead strike, hoping for it to connect. It did, but not where he would have wanted it to. With his fist embarrassingly covered in dust from the ground, Cody looked up and grinned sheepishly. Juri stood nearby as a large amount of her ki energy swirled around her legs. Without even as much as a chuckle at the man's current predicament, she crouched low and hissed.

"You're finished!"

She swung her leg out and expelled a particularly nasty purple sphere of ki energy at his body. She unleashed another at torso-level and one at his head, all three hitting their mark. It all seemed like one large and eccentric dance, and Juri herself seemed like quite the accomplished dancer. It was her partner who stumbled about like a flat-footed fool. The Feng Shui Engine poured a great deal of energy into her last projectile and knocked Cody violently to the ground. Her salvo complete, but eye still activated, Juri brought a leg to her back and nonchalantly pulled at it.

"Hmm... you go against S.I.N. with that level of abilities..." Licking her lips, she walked towards him. Cody opened his eyes and grunted in pain as she spoke again. "But, you got a nice body... You'll do being my plaything. Are your muscles just for show?"

She placed her foot on his crotch and pressed in softly. Her eye continued to glow its eerie color. Usually, it would have turned off by now... Juri didn't notice it was still on. A desire formed in her mind and quickly drove her actions, but it was an ill-thought out one.

"Ohh! Well, aren't you lucky?" Pressing harder on his crotch, Juri frowned and raised an eyebrow. "What the? Is this seriously your-" She grinned and widened her eyes. "Oh, it is, isn't it? Well, don't keep a girl waiting..."

She grabbed at Cody's striped trousers just as he figured out what she was planning on doing.

"Don't touch me!" he shouted, powerless to stop her.

Power. At this point, Juri had tremendous power over her new "plaything", and she loved every second of it. She ripped Cody's pants off and stood up to gaze at him. She laughed maniacally at the sight of him in his white boxers, which had small red hearts printed on them. Slinging his pair of pants over her shoulder, she bent down to reach for the boxers. Only the man could extinguish the fire that was slowly building within her.

Suddenly, a tinge of pain came from her left eye. She winced and blinked twice, consequently halting her advance on Cody. After a few seconds of waiting, she grinned and started at him again. Yet another spark of pain erupted from her left eye. Gritting her teeth, she stood up straight with a hand over the eye. It stopped glowing as it emitted a few sparks in every direction. The eye had malfunctioned and shut off as a fail-safe, which, unfortunately, cut off all ki energy from the wielder.

Coming off from the eye's power was like experiencing the crash that occurred after the effects of a drug wore off. Juri's body craved more, but with the recent glitch in her eye, that craving was left unsatisfied. Her mind had to recover as well. The eye had a tendency to temporally warp her mind, provoking her to do things that people would deem 'psychotic'. It would also persuade her to perform acts which she would regret later. This was not to say that the eye had a mind of its own. Juri provided the unconscious desires. The eye increased them tenfold.

Juri groaned and shook her head before removing the hand from her eye. Her expression changed from pain to weariness as the artificial power slowly ebbed away from her system.

"D-damn," she muttered, "my eye's acting up... Doesn't matter against a loser like y-"

She looked down at Cody again and noticed his lack of pants. His head was back and his eyes were closed. He must have blacked out from the stress and pain. On Juri's shoulder were his blue and white striped trousers, and in her other hand she found she was holding onto her own pair by the hem, which were lower than they should have been. It was as if the hand that was there was in the process of pulling them down and off before Juri realized what she was doing. Pulling her trousers back up, she blushed madly as she thought of how quickly the situation could have gotten out of hand. She swiftly turned on her heel and walked away from Cody with her head hung in shame.

"Damnit Juri," she cursed, rubbing her arms, "look at what you did." She looked back at Cody, then at his trousers on her shoulder. "I'll just keep these then... he wouldn't dare fight without them."

A low rumble came from her pocket. Reaching into her pants, Juri pulled out a black cellphone. It had a purple indentation of a spider on the back, and when flipped over, it showed the caller ID on the front screen. Instead of a name, there was a number shown…

15.

"What do you want Seth?" Juri gruffly asked after opening up the phone.

"That is no way to respond to your master," was the cold reply.

"Bite me."

"Despite that rude greeting of yours, we need to get to the task at hand." Seth's tone was calm, yet Juri could detect hints of anger. "You are finished with that street thug, correct?"

"How did you know?"

Chuckling was heard from the other end.

"Juri, you used your eye..."

She forgot about that. Seth was the one who made her eye, and he was the one who gave it to her. She didn't understand how he knew about her usage of the eye, but she had a theory. Seth was connected to the eye. If she used it, he would know when and where she used it. It made her sick to think that she could always be found, but being found by the company that provided her work was a much better alternative to being caught by the authorities.

"Now, you will be pleased to know that your last target will be boarding a cruise ship in Europe in a few days. Victor Sagat will be present there too. Given the hatred between him and his star student, I want you to watch them from a distance, then, once the fight is over, pick off the survivor."

"I understand," Juri replied, forgoing the snide comment afterwards.

"Glad to hear that. In case you have forgotten what your target looks like, I will send you a video of him after his win over that one that got away. Do not fail me, Juri."

Before Seth cut off communications, he uploaded a clip to Juri's phone.

'_I never forget a face, Seth...' _Juri thought to herself as she scowled.

She maneuvered her thumb to press the play button on her phone and leaned into the device to view small screen. The video was of an average-sized man with red hair in an odd style. His chest was uncovered to show his well-toned muscles and his hands and feet were covered in white wrappings. He wore blue and yellow kickboxing shorts, as well as an arrogant smirk as he faced the camera that was filming him.

"Adon," said someone nearby, most likely the reporter. "Rumor has it that the king of Muay Thai will be your next challenger in Europe. Do you have anything to say to that?"

"Sagat is still viewed as a king?" Adon sneered and folded his arms. "Ah, let the old fart keep his title. I am the god of Muay Thai, and even kings bow to gods!"

As Adon moved out of view, the camera zoomed in on the defeated fighter nearby. The blond-haired man could have just woken up, as he looked completely disorientated and confused in his blue gi and white boxers. His scars, however, showed that he had either lost the fight or that he was a veteran fighter. Before the video drifted to more trivial matters, Juri caught another glance of Adon. He had a black cloak around his shoulders and seemed too high and mighty to care about the microphones pressed in his general direction.

Juri turned off the video and sighed.

'_Adon Montri, ex-student of Victor Sagat and self-proclaimed god of Muay Thai…' _She smiled and cracked her knuckles. _'I guess I'm gonna have to prove his mortality.'_

* * *

No words were said for a moment. Having told her story, Juri turned to Adon for his reaction. They were in the living room of Makoto's dojo, and it was eerily quiet. There was no incessant buzzing of insects, no gentle chirps or coos of birds, and not even the sound of water trickling down a hill nearby. Adon leaned forward in his sitting position on the leather couch, his mind racing as he took in every bit of info the woman gave him.

"I didn't do it," Juri said firmly as she looked down at the man.

"…No, you didn't," Adon replied as he looked up. Juri wasn't sure if the expression on his face was one of relief or disappointment. "But you almost did. Is the eye really that persuasive?"

"It is... it takes all my unconscious desires and amplifies them."

"Unconscious desires?"

"If I admired a fighter's body when I activated the eye... things would have gone further than I would have liked after his or her defeat," Juri muttered shamefully.

Adon shook his head and stood up from the couch.

"This is so unlike you."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"The Juri I've heard about was a psychotic killer, one who acted on impulse and wouldn't dare to think of others." He smiled as he closed the gap between them. He looked down at Juri with appreciation. "The fact that you have spent time with me, healed me, and were truthful with me... Well, that dismisses those claims."

"You trust me?" Juri asked, her eyes wide.

"I believe that what you've told me was fact, not fiction." Adon nodded once. "So yes, I do trust you, Juri."

Juri's heart was in her throat. As a leader in S.I.N., trust was instilled when fear was the alternative. Adon had made the decision to trust her on his own accord without being persuaded. He, a Muay Thai fighter who suffered a broken right arm by the woman he could not forget, trusted her. But that was not all that he did. He listened to her. He respected her. He cared for her.

"T-thank you..." Juri stammered. Slowly, a grin appeared on her face. "Hey, if you're interested, I've got something in my room you should see."

_'In her room? What's in there that she can't show me out here?' _Adon thought as he raised an eyebrow. _'If this is an offer for… No, it couldn't be.'_

Juri flashed Adon a suspicious and luscious look before quickly turning away. She walked over to the doors to her room and slid them open without another word. Normally, she wouldn't dare to allow another person into the room, let alone a man such as Adon. Of course, she didn't let that stop her from bringing him in the second time she encountered him. She glanced over her shoulder and beckoned for Adon to follow, which he did.

As Adon walked in behind Juri, he noticed that things looked different in the room this time. That was probably attributed to the fact that the light was on, but the room held a cheerful, hopeful air to it that was absent the first time he had come to. The entire room looked vacant except for the bed and three-legged wooden object, each in a corner of their own. At the end of the room was a dresser that was half-stuffed into a closet. Adon wasn't a master of feng shui, but he had to admit the interior was odd.

The doors of the closet were pulled open and pushed away as Juri made her way to her dresser.

"While we're here," she started, opening a dresser drawer, "I think I should take care of something."

Adon walked over to her as she began to rummage around in the drawer. He looked over her shoulder at what was inside. Inside was a pair of blue boxing gloves, a pair of red sneakers, a yellow scarf, some kunai, a feathery headband, a pair of maracas, a large, well oiled belt, and a pair of blue and white striped pants. He frowned at the sight of the pants, as he did not expect Juri to actually keep them.

"Just… what are all these?"

"Mementos from the fighters I eliminated."

Smirking, Adon replied:

"So, you're a thief as well?"

"Consider stealing garments of clothing and knick-knacks from defeated fighters as my M.O.," she said with a giggle. Turning around, she placed an item in Adon's left hand. "I figured this belonged to you."

The object was soft and circle shaped with a tail at the end. The 'tail' was comprised of yellow strands and had blue tape wrapped around the base. Adon immediately recognized the object as his headband.

"Ah... there you are..." he said.

He put it back in its rightful place around his head before giving one of his trademark grins.

"I had almost forgotten about this. Thank you for returning it, Juri." Adon's expression changed to a bemused one. "Wait... why didn't you steal this from me after my defeat on the cruise ship?"

"Ha, I tried to," Juri said, folding her arms. "Chun-Li was there on the ship too. She chased me off before I could take it."

Mentioning the name of that woman caused Adon to frown.

"You loved that woman, didn't you?" he mumbled.

Juri shot Adon a guilty look and opened her mouth to deny it, but he deserved the truth. If she lied to him about this when he knew the answer, she would just be a hypocrite. Adon trusted her now, and she wasn't about to betray that. Sighing, she drooped her shoulders and nodded.

How he knew about the relationship between her and Chun-Li wasn't that much of a mystery, given Ibuki's knack for gossip. Juri did find Chun-Li attractive and skilled, and had always jumped on every opportunity to tease the Chinese woman when she fought her during the tournament. The fire for Chun-Li was still there, but it became insignificant when Cammy took her hand and essentially claimed her. Now, looking at Adon after a few weeks, that fire had been extinguished. It was instead replaced with a different inferno.

"Yes. I did."

Before Adon could respond, Juri moved closer to him. His hazel eyes met her violet pools as she smiled sweetly, innocently. A blush was in her cheeks, and Adon's heart beat slightly faster at the sight.

"But... It's not who you're attracted to that matters, but who you fall in love with."

Adon's face became hot as he raised his eyebrows.

"Are... are you saying that you-"

"Yes, Adon," she gently replied, taking his his left hand in her own. Without hesitation she looked up and said, "I love you."

Love… what a powerful emotion. It could perform wonders and uplift spirits with such ferocity. Adon had heard that word from countless women before in the past, but they fell flat. It was just a word to him, uttered by his most fanatic fans when he was dominant in his fighting circuit. Now, all his fans were gone, and all that love he had heard about was just a distant memory. Well... all but one of his fans was gone. Juri was standing in front of him with his hand held in her own, and she was confessing her love to him.

"D-do you love me?" she asked, her voice laced with hope.

The past few weeks with her had been wonderful. Juri had been wonderful. Most of the time that she spent with Adon comprised of her telling him more about herself, with him doing the same. The two had persevered, and they trusted each other immensely. Now, with this recent confession, his had to be made as well. His feelings for her were strong, and she needed to know.

"Y-yes," Adon stammered, grinning. "Yes I do."

Juri could feel Adon's heart beating against his ribcage as she removed her hands from his left. She wasn't inexperienced when it came to this part, but never before had she done it with someone she truly loved. Nuzzling up to him, she gently pursed her lips as her eyelids fluttered. Adon looked down at her and leaned into her lips with his own. It was almost too good to be true, as if it was a textbook example of a confession of affection gone right. With cheeks burning, the two fighters' lips met softly.

The Thai man suppressed the urge to smirk, instead deciding on smiling inwardly. Something about Juri's lips on his felt right, no, it felt better than that… it felt wonderful. Nothing could compare to this feeling, partly because he had never experienced nor felt this way about anyone in his life. This treatment, this love was foreign to him, but instead of pushing away at the fact, he was curious. With his heart pounding, he deepened the kiss.

Juri felt her heart spin. The simple act of touching was enough to calm a person, but the impact of his lips on hers made it seem like the troubles of the world were forgotten. She had never been loved by anyone other than her parents, and having someone here giving her the happiest feeling she had ever experienced was by far one of the greatest gifts she had ever received. Her revenge against Shadaloo seemed petty now, and her eye couldn't even begin to create a similar feeling.

She gasped slightly when she felt Adon's left arm snake around her waist and hold her. By no means was it an uncomfortable feeling. Quite the contrary, it was comforting as well as caring. Adon wanted to prolong the kiss and the feeling, and Juri did as well. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she deepened the kiss with a satisfied moan. The desire to use her tongue surfaced in her mind, but she shot it down. If Adon made the notion, however, she would happily oblige.

This action of intimacy continued for another minute. Both individuals were lost in a world all their own, and they were perfectly happy to remain there as long as they had each other in their arms. They were drifting endlessly in a sea of emotion, but they had to come up for air sometime. After a while, they broke the kiss and panted. Opening their eyes, they smiled at each other. Adon was the first to speak.

"That was... wonderful..."

"Yeah..." Juri softly replied as she rested her head against his chest.

"I wonder," Adon started, looking down at her. "Why have you taken to me?"

"Well... you listen to me, you trust me, and you love me." She looked up and sighed. "In all honesty, do you really need a reason to love?"

"I suppose not, Juri," Adon replied. "I suppose not."

Juri lingered in Adon's one-armed embrace for a moment longer before removing her arms from his neck. She stepped away from him and fixed him with a playful, hooded gaze.

"Your headband wasn't the main attraction here," she said matter-of-factly. "I want to show you one more thing."

Juri beckoned with her finger in a 'come hither' manner towards Adon before she walked over to the three-legged object in the corner of her room. The man reluctantly followed her and looked at the previously forgotten object with curiosity. Covered by a white piece of cloth, it held an air of mystery around it. There was no doubt in his mind that whatever was underneath was of great importance to the Korean woman. Juri grabbed hold of the cloth and glanced over her shoulder at Adon.

"Ibuki, being the blabbermouth she is, must have told you about this."

"She wouldn't tell me anything, even when I pursued the subject."

"She didn't tell you anything? Huh…" She looked back to the object. "I guess I don't have to spike her food tomorrow after all."

Without another word from either individual, Juri pulled the cloth away to reveal a canvas filled completely with color. The stand that it rested upon was just part of an easel the Korean woman had used regularly. Stepping back, Juri allowed Adon to view her work. All he could see was tan and green, as it looked as if the scene the woman had painted was nothing more than an old Aztec ruin on the edge of a rainforest. He smiled at her dedication to her work and noticed that she had a true eye for detail.

Every brick was textured, every step was shadowed correctly, and every blade of grass looked unique. Although the scene looked empty at first, Adon knew that within the rainforest depicted to the right was a whole other world. Before he could even speak, he noticed something in the background near what looked to be a temple of sorts. In front of the temple was a small courtyard, and within that was a lone tree. And by that lone tree was an animal Adon knew all too well.

_'The mighty Aztec jaguar…'_

The animal, although small being on account of being in the background, was remarkably detailed. It seemed as if Juri had painted that first and created the world around it later. Wearing an eccentric yet subtle headpiece along with golden anklets and red and green feathers, the jaguar sat on its haunches under the shade of the lone tree. Its piercing green eyes seemed to stare right at the viewer, and if Adon didn't know better, he could have sworn he could make out the jaguar version of a smirk across the creature's muzzle.

"So this is your hobby..." Adon said breathlessly.

"When I was in England, Chun-Li caught me painting pumpkins and figured this was my calling." Juri rubbed her arm and looked over at Adon. "Remember when I said I found inspiration? Well it may sound corny, but-"

"You found your inspiration, beat him up, and dragged him home," Adon interrupted with a smirk of his own.

"Exactly." Juri stepped back to stand by Adon. She looked at her painting with pride for a moment before speaking again. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's beautiful," he replied as he looked down at her. "But it pales in comparison to you."

Juri's eyebrow twitched in amusement. She wouldn't even attempt to blush at that lame attempt.

"You've got a lot to learn, oh mighty jaguar king," she chuckled. "I don't suppose Sagat taught you how to properly woo a woman?"

"N-no, but I'm doing just fine, aren't I?"

Giggling softly, Juri kissed him again as an answer.

* * *

The strange figure watched from afar as two people exited the building. One of them, the male, wasn't important, but the woman was recognizable. Her black hair was down, possibly an attempt to appear inconspicuous. This was further reinforced by the fact that the woman was wearing a different set of clothes. No matter what she did to her appearance, the figure could see though her ensemble. Juri Han was memorable to many people, especially those she betrayed.

She stopped moving forward and stayed still for a moment. Could it be possible that she was aware of his presence? Juri turned her head in his direction, but he cast his eyes down and remained motionless to look like a random pedestrian reading a newspaper. No, she was simply aware of being watched. Eventually when he felt her begin to leave, he looked up to see her walk off with the red-haired man. The woman glanced over her shoulder one more time before turning to speak to the man at her side. It seemed as if she enjoyed his company, although her enjoyment was strained.

After another few minutes of waiting, another man stepped out from the building. His eyebrows were oddly shaped and his brown hair was tied back in a tiny ponytail. He wore a black shirt with a brown coat and had a brown ascot cap on his head. Grumbling, the man hastily put on a pair of shoes before running down the street away from the figure afterwards.

The ends of the figure's lips curled up into a cruel smile as a low chuckle escaped his throat.

"So there was value in observing you after all..."


	9. Finale

** Disclaimer: Street Fighter and its characters belong to CAPCOM.**

* * *

"Shoryuken!"

The word echoed throughout the dojo, as did the sound of knuckles hitting the soft underside of an unfortunate man's jaw. Sakura, the one who had announced her newly learned move, launched her sparring partner into the air. She turned with the force and did a complete 360 before landing safely yet clumsily on the fighting mat beneath her. Her unfortunate partner slammed down on the mat in a sprawled-out fashion and groaned. Sakura gave a sheepish grin and rubbed her head.

"Oops! Sorry about that Hibiki-san," she apologized.

Standing off to the side near the mat dressed in his usual fighting garments was Adon. Absent from his attire was his white sling, as his right arm had fully healed. Under the care of a concerned woman, it felt as good as new. Truly he was a durable man. He crossed his arms and looked down at Dan with an expression of sympathy, although it housed one of amusement as well.

"Ah… Now I know why Sagat hates that move," he said to himself.

"It's a nasty little move," someone said from his side. "Sakura's getting stronger with all that training she's doing. Still, she can hardly hold a candle to me."

Adon glanced to his right and saw Juri leaning up against his shoulder.

"My, my, do I detect a hint of arrogance?" Adon said humorously.

"Maybe you do, maybe you don't," Juri replied with a smirk. "Perhaps some things are rubbing off on me. _And I like it_."

Adon chuckled at that. Ever since their confessions, they had become quite close in their relationship. They were an official couple, but they were taking things slowly to make the love last. Juri's spontaneous and seductive behavior seemed to be a challenge for Adon, but the woman was simply toying with him. She herself wanted a warm bed, but she wanted to wake up with someone beside her more. Acting with chivalry that was taught by Sagat, Adon never pressured the woman into anything she didn't want. Her innocence had been ripped from her at a young age, and he had no intention on bringing up bad memories.

When it came to Adon, Juri was someone he felt connected to. There were multiple similarities in their respective fighting styles as well as personalities, although that wasn't as important to him. He had found a woman who was anything but submissive and weak. He could talk to her and have his voice be taken seriously, and better yet, she would either agree with him or disagree and explain why. Adon admired her courage, her skill, and her perseverance. Above all else, he loved her for who she was, even if she did have her quirks.

In fact, her quirks only made him appreciate her more.

As for Juri, she could not have been happier. For ten long miserable years she had to deal with the loss of her parents alone. For three more she had to endure the long and cold nights in a large empty bed. She had waited thirteen years in total for someone to hold her close and love her based on the pretenses of who she was rather than on her actions. Adon was just the man for the job, and Juri never let a moment pass that she did not thank her lucky stars for pouncing on him when he first arrived.

They were too engrossed with each other to notice Dan as he scrambled to his feet.

"W-where did you learn to do that Sakura?" Dan asked as he massaged his jaw.

"Ryu taught me!" Almost immediately, Sakura regretted mentioning her new teacher's name. She looked at Dan and saw that he was on the verge of tears. "H-Hibiki-san! Oh, I'm sorry if I've been neglecting your training…"

"No, it's not that... It's just... you're moving up in the world..." Dan sniveled and crushed Sakura in a hug, earning himself a soft 'eep' of shock. "I'm so proud that I was able to teach you how to fight from the very beginning, kid!"

As Dan cried tears of pride and joy over Sakura's shoulder, the only thought on the college student's mind was how to get out of this crushing embrace. She looked over at Ibuki and Makoto nearby for help, but the kunoichi only pointed and laughed at her predicament while the karate fighter took up the liberty of feeling embarrassed for her already uneasy friend. Adon and Juri wouldn't help her either as a quick glance in their direction revealed that they were looking on in wonder with sadistic smiles.

Even Sakura's dog Nikki was looking up at her owner with an almost smug expression, as if she knew that her owner deserved this discomfort. In a way, Sakura did deserve this uneasiness. She had started fighting when she saw Ryu, and she aspired to be just like him. All of his moves were known by heart, but she lacked the skills to perform them. Dan Hibiki served as a source of basic training, and many of his moves were indeed useful, but Sakura had only used him to get to Ryu. She just didn't have the heart to tell her previous teacher that she learned how to fight by watching and imitating Ryu, but she figured she didn't have to.

Knowing Dan, the man would just brush off the whole thing and continue being his good-natured self. Worse things have happened to him before. He eventually let go of his former student and wiped his tears away before turning around to leave the fighting mat. Sakura giggled nervously before smoothing out her tracksuit. She turned over to Makoto and opened her mouth to challenge her to a fight when knocking was heard at the front door.

Ibuki craned her neck to stare at the door in curiosity while Makoto blinked. Dan, having quickly composed himself, calmly walked over to the door whilst doing his best to ignore the stifled snicker from Adon. The Thai man was by no means his friend, but they were able to tolerate each other to a certain degree. That spoke volumes when it came to other fighters. Usually people laughed at Dan or insulted his skills, but Adon had reluctantly begun to respect the man for his determination and his sloppy skills. If only his flying knee was better executed, Adon said, Dan would be taken more seriously.

Opening the door of the dojo, Dan looked out into the night at two figures. They were both the same size and shape, and quite possibly the same age. In fact, the two boys were twins.

"Ah… hello?" Dan said with uncertainty. "Can I help you?"

Just as he was beginning to feel jealously at the idea of Makoto gaining two potential students, Dan felt Juri hover over his shoulder. The woman pursed her lips and stared at the two young men at the bottom of the front door steps for a moment before smiling.

"The Lee brothers…," Juri announced as she placed her hands on her hips. "The girls are waiting for you inside. Make yourselves at home and all that jazz."

"Alright! A girl and free food!" Yun exclaimed. He walked into the dojo and grinned at his younger brother over his shoulder. "Could a guy ask for anything more?"

"A brain," Yang answered dryly.

Juri and Dan stepped aside for the two and waited for the inevitable argument to break out between them. The Lee brothers were certainly a pair. One had the voice, the other had the brains. If they weren't working together, they were usually working against each other. It was sibling rivalry with humorous undertones, and everyone benefited from it except for the two involved directly.

Arms around Yun's neck prevented him from replying to his brother's insult. Startled, he turned his head to follow the peach-colored arms back to their owner. The smiling face of a kunoichi greeted him before he found her lips on his. It was a quick peck, but Yun savored it nonetheless. He grinned again and completely forgot about his brother as he looked back into the eyes of his girlfriend.

"Alright, a totally awesome girl and free food," Yun said softly to the young woman.

"Don't forget about me," Ibuki replied flirtatiously. "I get a cool boy all to myself…"

Makoto practically gagged when they nuzzled noses. Honestly, some of the things the two did while she was present were beyond cheesy. She wondered if she would fall to her friend's level with Yang, but, fortunately, the young man was much more levelheaded than his brother could ever dream of. Judging by his current reaction to his older brother's behavior, she was absolutely right.

"You and me both, Makoto-chan," Yang mumbled with a scoff. "Honestly, my brother never fails to-"

"You really don't have to call me that," Makoto interrupted with a wag of her finger.

Yang looked at Makoto and lifted an eyebrow in confusion.

"Call you what?"

"Makoto-chan," Makoto answered. She scratched her chin before adding, "I mean, we've known each other for about two to three weeks now. Just call me Makoto. Or Mak, I don't care which. Besides, I just call you by your name."

"Ah, oh, w-well if it's alright with you, I'll leave off the honorific," Yang stammered.

When Makoto smiled at that, the younger Lee brother's heart did a flip. He sheepishly smiled back and tried his best to compose himself, although his tinted cheeks convinced the karate fighter that he wasn't exactly at the top of his game. Perhaps that was why she grinned and cracked her knuckles. Yang wasn't sure if he was supposed to be flattered or intimidated, so he settled on both, not that he mattered about the latter. Makoto was an intimidating enigma, but once that thick-headed behavior vanished, a softer, more personable shell awaited for him.

Sakura looked over at the two couples and smiled at their reactions to each other. Everyone seemed so happy tonight, and best of all, no one was making a superhuman effort to be. They just were. The college student sighed longingly before seeking out Juri.

"Hey Juri," she started as she laced her fingers together, "just before my special move training was finished, I invited Ryu to come over for awhile."

"Oh?" Juri replied with a skeptical look. "And… did he say anything about coming?"

"Well, not really, but I'm sure he'll come over. It's not like him to miss out on a chance for friendly hospitality or a nice sparing session."

"Alrighty then," Juri said in acknowledgement. "Just don't get too depressed if he doesn't come." She turned her head to look in Makoto's direction for a moment before grumbling softly. "Damn. I'm torn. Mak's busy with her boy, but somebody's gotta cook tonight."

The Korean felt arms snake around her waist and hold her. She looked down at the black-bandaged hands as they grasped her exposed midriff and smiled before hearing Adon's voice in her ears.

"I'm no chef," the man started with a chuckle, "but I believe I can assist you."

"Mm… You cook?" Juri asked as she felt Adon's breath on her neck.

"Of course. Usually it's the shrimp I catch back in my country, but you'd be surprised with what I can do with a few vegetables and spices."

"Well, with your help I can make a meal fit for a king." Juri tilted her head up to look at Adon over her left shoulder. "Let's start with an appetizer."

She flashed the man a playful smile before leaning into his lips. Accepted without a second thought, Adon returned the kiss whilst ignoring the disgusted gagging noises coming from Dan. On any other day, Dan would have been thrown out by the dojo's owner, Yun and Yang would grab the girls and be off, and Ryu would have no reason to pay a visit. But this was a special day. A man would be leaving soon, and everyone was going to see him off after a good night of fun.

While a lot had happened within three weeks, all good things had to eventually come to an end. Adon's flight back to Thailand was tomorrow in the morning, and he was fully prepared to leave. However, his preparedness did not mean his willingness. If it were up to him, he would stay in Japan just a little longer to aggravate his mentor and to please Juri. Sadly, he felt obligated to comply with Sagat's order and would reluctantly board the plane back to his home country regardless of his new love's opinion.

This greatly disturbed Juri, but she did not let Adon know. The only man that had ever shown her such sympathy and compassion was slipping through her grasp, and the only thing she could do- in regards to the law- was to stay and watch him leave. It was unfair for her. Those three weeks had gone by too fast for her to savor. She did not want Adon to leave, but she understood that the decision to stay belonged to him, and even then, he was obligated to leave.

"That's quite the satisfying appetizer," Adon quipped after breaking from the kiss.

"Hehehe… The main course comes later tonight," Juri purred with a luscious, hooded gaze. "No exceptions."

Before a blushing Adon could reply to that, Dan spoke up.

"Just get in the kitchen," he said, exasperated.

Both Muay Thai and Taekwando fighters shot him a patronizing grin before breaking away from each other to move into the kitchen. They moved behind the counters and began to look around for something to start with as Yun, Yang, Ibuki, and Makoto congregated nearby. Their interest did not lie with what the older couple was doing, but with each other. Yun looked up from his giggling girlfriend and saw Dan walk dejectedly into the living room. He tipped his hat up a little to get a clearer look before cocking a smirk.

"Who's that guy in the pink?" he asked.

"That… person," Makoto started, saving her derogatory name for later, "is Dan Hibiki. He runs the Saikyo-ryu dojo in the city nearby."

"Whoa, really? That's Hibiki?" Yun replied, surprised. "I guess you were right Mak. He _does _look lonely and pathetic."

"Don't underestimate him, Yun," Ibuki said with a wag of her finger. "His mindgames are infamous! What he needs to do is find someone willing to put up with him!"

"What, you mean like a brother?" Yun asked.

Yang sighed at his brother's cluelessness.

"They seem pretty happy, wouldn't you think?" Sakura asked her former teacher, now slumped over in an armchair.

"Oh sure, sure, I completely agree with you kid," Dan muttered sarcastically. "I think they're just perfect for each other. They're both crazy, and, by being together, they save two others from being miserable."

"Don't you think you're being a little too harsh Hibiki-san?"

Dan gave Sakura a look of disbelief.

"Sakura, a month ago Juri beat me unconscious and tied me to a tree. She left only to come back with an easel and paintbrush." He pouted and folded his arms. "Basically, she held me down for hours against my will just so she could paint a portrait of me. I'm a nice guy, but even nice guys have their limits."

"Well... at least the painting turned out nice..." Sakura optimistically replied.

"Yeah... it did," Dan reluctantly agreed. "You know, she captured my smile perfectly... except I wasn't smiling when I was bound and gagged."

There was a brief, awkward chuckle before Sakura heard another dull knocking at the door to the dojo. The largest, happiest smile graced her features upon hearing the noise, as she expected it was none other than Ryu at the door. He had come, and that was all because Sakura had asked him! Perhaps he wasn't as oblivious to her affections after all! She grasped the door handle and twisted it to open the door.

Her optimistic thoughts dwindled one by one as she stared at a strange figure outside. Combined with the fact that it was slowly becoming dark out, the figure was hard to make out as it stood in the shade of the dojo. It wasn't Ryu, as Sakura couldn't imagine him looking so mysterious. The figure was most definitely a man, and he was taller than Ryu. He seemed to carry a sense of foreboding around him, but Sakura could not detect it.

"Excuse me," the figure said politely as he doffed his hat, "would you perhaps be Sakura Kasugano?"

Sakura placed a hand on the doorframe and cocked her head.

"Y-yeah, that's me. Can I help you or something?"

"I've come here with a proposition for you regarding the next World Warriors tournament. I am but a humble recruiter, and I presume you are interested in a chance to test your strength against a variety of new challengers." Even in the darkness, Sakura could see the figure's lips curl up in a smile. "Could I get you to step outside for a moment?"

Sakura blinked once before breaking out in a grin. An opportunity to test her newly acquired skills against real opponents! This was better than having Ryu over, as she would finally have the chance to fight against him with no holds barred should he rise through the brackets. He always managed to win tournaments. Sakura did not question why the others in the dojo were not included, nor did she make mention of the strange glow of the man's eyes. She just nodded in acknowledgement and walked out before shutting the door behind her.

No-one else would have noticed her leave except for Juri, who caught her exit in the corner of her eye. She had also heard a strange voice coming from outside, and it was one she faintly recognized. Just thinking of it brought forth a mental image of Abel, who she had encountered during her time in England. His normally dreary voice was punctuated by bouts of optimism, easily securing a place in Juri's memories. Perhaps the Frenchman had stopped by, but why?

Juri frowned and narrowed her eyes at the door before the feeling of Adon brushing against her side brought her back to the task at hand. Whoever was at the door was none of her concern, even if it did puzzle her. She crouched down in front of a large white refrigerator and opened up the larger door. A well-stocked selection of food awaited her, but she was more interested in ingredients as she looked through the lower compartments.

"Ok, what do we have here…? Ah, onions, tomatoes, peppers…" Grinning madly, Juri reached into a compartment to pull out a small bag filled with mature jalapeno peppers. "And these babies… Hehehe, these will put the heat on."

Adon couldn't do much but smile at her enthusiasm. Makoto had said that she enjoyed spicy food, even if it was at the expense of others' appetites. The karate fighter in reference visibly paled at Juri's listing of ingredients and turned her head to stare at her with eyes wide.

"Wait a minute, you're making salsa?"

"Of course," Juri replied nonchalantly. "Why wouldn't I make salsa?"

"Oh god," Makoto mumbled before burying her face in Yang's chest, much to his discomfort.

"What are you so worked up about? You don't have to eat it, and besides, it's gonna be milder for those who can't handle the heat." Juri placed her bag of jalapenos on the counter next to a bowl and knife before her face fell with disappointment. "Oh shoot," she mumbled before standing up. "I forgot to get cilantro… Alright Mak, you get to breathe easier tonight."

"Well that's a shame," Adon remarked. "If we can't make salsa, what should we do instead?"

"Oh, we could do a lot of things together," Juri replied with a coy look.

Before Adon could even ask what she meant by that, he was interrupted by a dull thud against the front door of the dojo. Everyone had heard it and broke off their conversations to glance at the door, wondering just what or who was on the other side. Nikki sprang from her resting spot and advanced towards the door with a growl, as even she was skeptical of the noise. Dan thought none of the dog's behavior and got up from his seat. For all he knew as he reached for the doorknob, his former student had managed to lock herself outside.

A more violent thud against the door knocked the doorknob right out of its socket and into Dan's hand.

"Wha-"

In an instant, Dan and the dog were knocked back as a body crashed through the door. The wooden shrapnel threatened to cut into their bodies, but thankfully they did not. Dan's backward rolling came to a stop as he slammed into the kitchen counter with the form of Sakura draped over his lap. He glanced down at his former student for a moment before passing out himself. Makoto and Ibuki ran over to them and checked if they were still alive, and thankfully, they were. Unconscious, but alive.

Nikki placed her tail between her legs and yelped before running off into a corner of the room to hide. A figure advanced through the ruins of the destroyed door and calmly brushed his shoulder off as if nothing had happened. In the light of the dojo, the occupants could clearly see his tan trenchcoat and fedora over everything else; although they did notice he wore white gloves and black boots as well. He was mysterious to all but Juri, as her expression darkened with angered recognition.

Makoto didn't care who or what this new foe was. It had attacked her friends and had taken down a door, and that door took two hours to install. She was especially furious at that part. She rushed the figure and peppered him with a few chops and strikes, but the figure parried and blocked them all without much effort. Her muscle seemed worthless in the face of this new foe, but she pushed forward anyway. As she fought, she made a critical observation about the figure and deducted that it looked male, so, without hesitation, she reeled a fist back and slammed it down into his crotch.

It was obvious the figure was not expecting such an attack, as it let out a surprised, pained grunt that was like music to Makoto's ears. She smiled and reclaimed her fist before sending it back at the figure's chest. A shot to the groin wasn't exactly favored in professional fighting matches, but that could be overlooked in a fight for life. Makoto thought it was a brilliant move, as whoever was struck by it would be out of commission and free for pummeling. This was why she was surprised when the figure grabbed onto her wrist and stopped the punch before it connected.

"Pointless," he scoffed.

He lifted the karate girl up from the floor and held her there for a moment, just to allow her to realize the futility of her situation. Her eyes widened when she caught the man's knee in her ribs, and she lost her breath when he struck her stomach. Finally, the figure raised his knee to strike hard under Makoto's chin, instantly knocking her out. Everyone looked on in disgust and sympathy when the young woman slid from the figure's grasp to crumple to the floor next to Dan and Sakura.

Everyone but Yun and Yang.

"We don't appreciate party crashers!" Yun shouted out as he advanced towards the figure. "Come on bro, let's teach this guy a lesson!"

"Right behind you," Yang growled as he settled into his stance.

The Lee brothers were a force to be reckoned with, especially when they fought together. Having been trained by their uncles as well as Gen, their martial arts were refined and deadly, but against this new foe they seemed nothing more than fledgling amateurs. Their speed was outmatched by the figure's very own, and their strength quickly became nonexistent as the figure exploited the lulls in their attacks. They couldn't even land a single attack on him.

Yang slashed with his hands at the mysterious figure only to receive an uppercut for his efforts. As the younger Lee brother stumbled back, Yun leaped up and shot down at the attacker from behind with a leg outstretched. Shock gripped him when he found his leg grabbed in mid-air. The figure pulled him down to the floor and slammed him against it once, effectively knocking the wind out of him. But the pain did not stop there.

Yun painfully realized that his leg was still in the figure's grip, and he had essentially become a human ragdoll. With a pull, he was lifted up into the air only to be securely grabbed by the figure's hands. Yang shook his head and lifted his hands with the intention of getting back into the fight when he found the body of his older brother being flung at him. There was no time for the young tactician to react, and both he and Yun crumbled to the floor in an unconscious heap.

"Yun!" Ibuki shrieked.

The kunoichi wanted to go to them to make sure they were alright, but the figure stood in her path. Up close, he was tall and imposing, and Ibuki couldn't help but feel intimidated. After what he had just done to five different people in barely over a minute, she feared for her life. She shouted out in fright and fell back to her bottom looking up at the man. Hastily, she edged herself backwards until her back hit the kitchen counter.

Behind the counter, Adon was seething. Someone who had the mind to barge into someone's humble abode and attack the occupants deserved a swift beating. He clenched his fists and started to move around the countertops to get at the mysterious figure when he felt someone hold him back. Juri's outstretched arm had stopped him, and upon this realization, Adon shot her a questioning look. She merely shook her head and turned to the figure.

"Seth…"

"It does my heart good to see that you still remember the one who gave your life meaning," the figure known as Seth said. "You just may be fighting for it soon…"

In one quick motion, Seth reached up to his head and tossed away his fedora. Underneath that was his chrome skin and unnatural blue eyes. There was not a trace of hair on him, and that coupled with his eyes and skin made Adon very anxious. So, this was Juri's former boss… If this man was truly who Juri believed he was, then tough times were ahead. The Muay Thai warrior glanced at Juri for a moment to ascertain she was alright, as he could only imagine what was going through her head at the moment.

A quiet yet dramatic groaning came from Dan Hibiki as he slowly came to. He would have a nasty bruise in the morning to contend with, but as he looked up at Seth, he found himself just looking forward to the next morning alive. Scrambling to his feet, Dan tossed a frightened look Ibuki's way and found her cowering under the synthetic man's gaze. The man limped off to the sidelines as Seth returned his attention to Juri.

"I never forget a face, especially one as ugly as yours," Juri spat disdainfully.

"Come now, Juri. I thought you would be happier to see me," Seth quipped.

"How the hell are you still alive?" Juri stepped out from behind the counters of the kitchen. She now stood at room's length from her former boss. "I crushed the Tanden Engine under my heel!"

"Did you?"

To answer Juri's statement, Seth nonchalantly shrugged off his trenchcoat to reveal his bare, chrome body to all. Located in his abdomen was a rotating yin-yang sphere surrounded by eight odd symbols. Below that was nothing, nothing but his legs. Perhaps that was why he didn't flinch when punched in the groin by Makoto. There was a noticeable 'scar' in the yin-yang sphere that caught Juri's eye. As he took off his gloves, he suppressed the urge to smirk when Juri's face fell.

"I-it's repaired?" she stammered.

"Yes. The Tanden Engine was repaired thanks to the efforts of a few loyal workers," Seth replied dryly. "You see, Juri, even though you so blatantly usurped me and demanded loyalty from S.I.N., I commanded more respect than you could ever wish for. The division heads knew who was truly in charge and repaired me under your nose. I twiddled my thumbs in the annals of the facility and orchestrated attacks on your morale. The botched files, the delayed projects, the constant problems… Do you perhaps remember Satoya?"

"I remember that bastard," Juri shot back. "I'm guessing it was you who gave him the green light on the assassination attempt…"

"Yes. I cannot speak for Mrs. Nash, however, as she acted on her own accord. Extending my hand to an agent who sought to destroy S.I.N. would only result in it being cut off."

Seth's smirk faded to be replaced by a frown.

"Everything was going according to plan, but then you did the unthinkable. You took S.I.N. and drove it straight into the ground without a second thought. What on earth possessed you to do something so out of character?" He shook his head and sighed. "I suppose it doesn't matter now. I escaped from the facility before you brought your plan to fruition."

"And now, after three long years of waiting, you come here…" Juri's fingers twitched in anticipation. "How did you know where to find me?"

"You used your eye two years ago in Japan, on the eastern coast." Juri's eyes widened as Seth continued. "Yes, I still know when and where you use it. While you weren't there when I arrived, I suppose I should thank you for what I found instead..."

Juri glanced over at Adon and shared his confused expression. Turning back to Seth, she replied:

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Seth chuckled evilly. "I went back into hiding for quite some time, and I did not hear or feel anything about you during. Then, as luck would have it, I felt the eye activate just three weeks ago in this area. When I first arrived, I'll admit had my doubts, but after secretly observing a rather pathetic excuse for a man," he said with a glance in Dan's direction, "I finally found the animal I had been hunting for."

"Me? Pathetic?" Dan scoffed and folded his arms with a pout. "Don't underestimate me. Sure I look incompetent, but look at you! Grey skin, bald, big ball in your cr-"

"Hibiki, now is not the time," Adon growled.

The Korean woman and synthetic human glared, completely lost in their contempt for each other.

"Yeah, you found me," Juri reiterated calmly. "So what now, Seth? I've worked for you for years. I know you love making plans and telling me all about them, so… What do you have for me?"

"I don't see the harm in telling you. Juri, I plan to take back what is rightfully mine."

"I don't belong to you," Juri stated indignantly.

"No, of course not," Seth replied. He raised his hand and pointed his finger at Juri's head. "However, the eye is my creation… A creation I intend to retrieve."

Before the Korean woman could even open her mouth to retort, Seth swung his right arm forward. Defying logic itself, the arm stretched far enough to reach across the room and strike at Juri. She ducked to the side to avoid the attack and darted forward to close the distance between them when a hand came down on the front of her black and purple breastplate. Caught off guard, Juri reached up to the hand in an attempt to pry it off.

She didn't even get the chance to touch the hand, as she soon found herself dragged towards Seth. Not one to miss out on an opportunity, Juri leaned forward and skipped up with a foot curled up against her chest. She struck out at Seth's stomach only to find that he stepped aside to avoid the strike. It was a terrible position to be in for her, and Seth capitalized on it. He twirled her around and put her in a tight hold before whispering into her ear.

"Let's take this outside, shall we?"

Juri lifted her arm and jabbed her elbow into Seth's Tanden Engine, but, to her dismay, her strike had no effect. Instead, the machine that she had struck spurred to life and whirled about. Adon vaulted over the countertops and advanced towards the two with the intention of pulling them apart when Juri gave him a look that almost stopped him dead in his tracks. Fear was etched across her face, and Adon felt his heart strain at the sight. Before he could help her, the Tanden Engine in Seth's abdomen hissed.

Adon, Dan, and Ibuki managed to cover their eyes as a bright white flash enveloped the room. After the flash dissipated, Adon looked over to Seth and Juri only to find that they were no longer there. Instead, the only evidence of them having been there were Seth's boots. The man approached the spot where they were and growled in anger. He dropped to his knees and slammed a fist into the floorboard three times, obviously frustrated with himself for not helping sooner.

"Dammit! What just happened?"

"T-that looked like a teleport to me," the kunoichi said from her position on the floor. She pushed herself up and hung her head. "Teleports don't travel too far…"

If time wasn't of the essence, Adon would have furiously berated the ninja for not assisting Juri in her time of need. He sent the girl a disgusted look before Dan piped up from beside him.

"If fancy teleports don't go too far, that must mean that they're still around here somewhere!"

"Obviously not within the dojo," Adon grumbled before pushing himself up to his feet. His expression soon became a determined one. "Hibiki, come with me. We're going to help her, and we're going to destroy that grey wench while we're at it!"

"Hey, be careful, alright?" Ibuki said with sincerity. "If that thing was able to knock out four of us without breaking a sweat, there's no telling what he could do to Juri. I'm going to call the police."

"You do that," Adon muttered as he turned to the ruined door.

Ibuki ran to procure her phone as Adon and Dan rushed outside. They looked about in the darkness of the night and strained their eyes to search for any activity. As far as they could see, nothing was out of the ordinary. Greatly perturbed by this, Adon made a move to circle the dojo before he heard something that stopped him. The faint sound of a bone breaking filled the night air as well as a startled yelp of pain.

Over a distant hill Adon could see splotches of violet and white against a dark canvas. Every now and then a tiny purple light would bob up and down next to a lone tree situated there. Adon knew the hill well, for it was the one he used as a vantage point when he first arrived in Japan. Juri was up there, and there was no doubt in the Thai man's mind that she was fighting for her very life and using everything she had.

"Hibiki! Over there!"

Dan dug his head out from the confines of Makoto's mailbox and dropped whatever incriminating evidence he had on the ground. He followed Adon's gaze and gulped before nodding. The two took off again, this time towards the hill. As they reached the bottom and began to climb up, they were able to hear two voices coming from the top.

"Nnggg! W-what the hell was that move?"

"This fight is pointless, Juri," Seth muttered. "You're making this harder for yourself by resisting. I am not beyond mercy."

"Bite me!" Juri shouted. "I can t-take you!"

"Really now? In your current condition?"

Having heard that, Adon quickened his pace. He steadily began to outrun the Saikyo master who was stumbling after him.

"You come here, barge into the dojo, attack my friends, and you-"

"Friends?" Seth scoffed. "Juri, people have friends. Animals do not."

"You're pathetic, you know that? Your organization is done! It's over! Be a good freak of nature and die already!"

Just as Juri's words reached Adon's ears, he heard a high-pitched shriek of pain. His blood boiled when he heard Seth's voice above it all.

"What cruel irony!"

When the two finally reached the top of the large, flat hill, they were greeted with a terrible sight. Seth was holding his Korean confidante by the head high off from the ground. Her left arm limply hung at her side while her right arm rose to her head. A sadistic bout of laughter escaped Seth's throat as he watched her claw at his hand to no avail. To him, it was so pathetic to watch that it became mildly amusing.

He must have finally noticed Adon and Dan behind him, for he quickly turned around and flung Juri violently at their feet.

"Juri!" Adon shouted out of concern.

Without a moment's hesitation, Adon went to her and took a knee. Carefully, he turned her over and dropped his jaw at the damage Seth had inflicted upon her. Black and blue bruises, scrapes, and cuts ruined her smooth peach skin. Her shoulder-length raven hair was strewn about haphazardly. Finally, Adon could see that she was bleeding from the mouth. Juri sputtered up a bit of blood before she opened her eyes to look at Adon. One of them was glowing, albeit not as brilliantly as before.

"Y-you came…?"

Adon put an arm under her good arm and gently lifted her back to her feet.

"Let me handle this," he growled as he glared at Seth.

"You don't know what he's capable of," Juri replied through gritted teeth. "This is my fight. I have to do this."

"This is as much my fight as it is yours, and you do not have to fight alone." Adon turned to look at Juri. "I will not see you die fighting an old memory that dared to show its face."

"Adon…"

Two long chrome arms came between the two without even so much as a warning beforehand. Before they could even react, the arms violently forced them away from each other. Adon tumbled back and slammed into the trunk of the lone tree while Juri fell painfully on her back. When the arm had cut into her, she could have sworn she felt something inside her break. Two cries filled the air from two different sources, both uttered out of anguish.

Dan, who had been keeping watch of Seth, jabbed a finger in the couple's direction.

"You did that? Alright, that's it!" he shouted. "No more Mr. Nice Guy! I'm g-"

"Quiet," Seth muttered as he threw a sonic boom at Dan.

The projectile slammed into Dan's chest and toppled him over, which, given his precarious position at the edge of the hill, soon sent him tumbling down the side. He yelled something incoherent as he rolled, hell-bent on getting the last word. As this went on, Juri barely managed to push herself off from the ground and back to her feet. She slouched forward and gripped her broken left arm, a sign of her terrible condition. Everything stung within her, and breathing was difficult to do.

Seth noticed his confidante was back on his feet, and he smiled coolly.

"Allow me to reveal something to you, my dear… You see, I was not simply twiddling my thumbs for three years as I waited for this happy reunion, oh no." He scratched his nose and shook his head. "Can you possibly imagine what I found two years ago during my search? No, it's incomprehensible to someone as simple-minded as you."

"T-try me," Juri taunted as she took a step forward. "I'm no pawn of yours anymore."

"So you may think," Seth retorted. "But first, a question. Tell me, what of the BLECE project?"

Juri's breath hitched at the mention of that project. While S.I.N. had many goals and aspirations, the BLECE project was the crown jewel in Seth's crown, and every little scientist was hard at work polishing it. When Seth was overthrown, Juri showed particular interest in the project at first, as it would increase her power to godlike levels, among other things. However, when her eyes had been opened, she understood the ramifications BLECE would have on the world and acted accordingly.

"What of it? I watched it burn before my eyes!" Juri swept a hand in front of her as she continued. "Everything on it was destroyed! Every file, every folder… Every. Single. Scrap."

"Everything? Within my body lies the whole of the BLECE project," Seth declared. "And I have finally found the key to its completion!"

"B-but Ryu…"

"Ryu?" Seth scoffed. "That vagabond was no longer required. I had found something much, much more efficient to use than him. Juri, do you remember when I told you about the Satsui no Hado? Well, long story short, in my good fortune I stumbled across the body of its most accomplished practitioner, Akuma." Both Adon and Juri shared a gasp. "His data will serve me well. Satsui no Hado is the greatest, deadliest martial art on the face of this world. To utilize it, one must discard their humanity… Heh, how fortunate for me that I was not created a human."

A few sinister-looking vapors of red energy appeared about Seth as he pointed at Juri.

"Juri, I've heard you've become something of an artist." Seth slammed a foot into the ground and widened his stance with a murderous air around him. "Allow me to make sure you are properly appreciated."

Something terrible was about to happen, and Adon was all too aware of it. He had never witnessed the power of the Satsui no Hado, but he had heard of the atrocities it was capable of creating. Sagat had suffered from Ryu's Metsu Shoryuken when the vagabond lost control, and the result was the large scar on the Thai man's chest. If Sagat was upset with one move that had nearly killed him, what would Seth do to Juri? That was a question Adon never wanted to be answered.

The jaguar king got up from his stunned position and stumbled forward. He saw the Tanden Engine in Seth's abdomen swirl about dangerously, and the faint blue light that it usually gave off gave way to a vile red color. It was an ill omen. The chrome mastermind lifted his knee and suddenly drifted forward as if he was nothing more than an illusion. Blades of grass parted under him as if nature itself was frightened to be in his path. Adon glanced over at Juri and felt his heart stop.

The Korean woman raised her head to stare at her attacker, her killer. In her violet eyes, Adon could see sad resignation. In the face of her former boss who was more powerful than she could ever imagine, she was powerless. She was beaten and broken, and the only thing she could do was face her destruction head on. It was the very least her pride could muster for her. But Adon could do better for her.

Without even thinking of himself, Adon leapt in front of Juri and looked straight into the face of death with a determined snarl.

Everything went dark in the blink of an eye. There was no sound, nor was there any light. Wincing, Adon watched as fifteen red flames floated around him in a sea of nothingness. They circled about in front of him like cackling demons closing in to seal his doom. In a rare moment, Adon laughed sadly at his own irony. He had sought after the Shun Goku Satsu to be used by him to perfect Muay Thai, but now, the attack he so feverishly wanted was killing him, both physically and spiritually. However, something was amiss.

There was no pain yet, and the red flames seemed to be ignoring Adon. They danced about for a brief moment before lashing out at something directly in front of him. As a red flame flew past his head, it turned dark purple and splashed violently against the darkness surrounding him. All of the flames stuck their invisible target and turned purple before they all came together in one big inferno. It was then that Adon heard the screams of pain coming from all around him, and to his dismay, they were not his. The giant flame convulsed for a few seconds before it was suddenly extinguished… as were the screams.

The world came back to Adon in all its dark and morbid glory. Grass was felt under his feet, and a gentle wind nipped at his sides. He gasped for breath and checked himself quickly. Despite his impromptu sacrifice, he was still amongst the living. It hardly took a second for him to register what that meant.

He looked down at his feet and found a sight that would forever be burned in his retinas. Lying face down in the grass was Juri's unmoving form. Her already broken left arm was twisted in an agonizing position against her back while her right arm was stretched out in front of her. Adon paled at the realization that Juri had dismissed his noble act and had leapt back in front of him to take a death blow that was meant only for her. Why? That was a question he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, but before he could do so, he heard a cruel voice nearby.

"What a senseless waste of human life."

Adon bared his teeth and looked up at Seth with unparalleled rage.

"You… you murderer!"

"Me? A murderer?" Seth chuckled and wagged a patronizing finger. "I am no murderer, she is… or should I say, she was. She would not have surrendered to me to begin with, and as such, her death at my hands was inevitable." He advanced towards Juri's body without another word, but Adon valiantly stepped in front of him to block his path. "Her eye will be retrieved whether I defeat you for it or not. Step aside."

"Never," Adon spat. "You will not touch her again!"

Seth raised his brow in amusement.

"Hmm, just why do you care? She is dead, is she not?" Adon turned his head to look at Juri. A small flow of blood was trickling down her forehead, and it formed a morbidly beautiful pool of crimson underneath her head. "Pathetic… You actually believe she loved you. You have been mistaken. A psychotic witch like her is incapable of grasping such a trivial concept. All she hungers for is power. All she exists to do is to maim and destroy."

That was as blatant a lie as Adon had ever had the misfortune of hearing. He shook his head and glared back up Seth.

"You're wrong," he muttered.

Adon snapped an arm back and clenched his fists. He sent a fierce right into Seth's chest only for it to be deflected. The synthetic human dodged another blow and smirked as he looked down his nose at Adon.

"What a shame. Your fate is sealed then."

The Muay Thai prodigy- arguably the only hope left at the moment- peppered Seth with a flurry of punches and elbow strikes, causing the chrome man to slowly backpedal as he blocked. There was no precision to Adon's strikes. There was only blind rage and hatred. A jaguar had been let loose to claw and gnash its teeth against bone, and it would stop at nothing to see its prey dead at its feet.

"Fate? I don't believe in such an inane concept!" he shouted as he thrust an arm forward. "I shall forge the future myself!"

Seth grabbed the arm with his left hand and pulled Adon towards him. With this brief moment of vulnerability, Adon found himself regretting his immediate, angry reaction. His erratic flailing was immediately punished by a firm fist in his stomach. The breath was knocked out of him as he felt himself lifted up by the force. Opening his eyes, Adon saw the ground leave him, but he also found that his opponent was not underneath him as he had begun to expect.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around Adon's body and flipped him upside-down. What move was this? It seemed like some crude wrestling move, but as crude as it was, it was effective. With the weight of his opponent at his back, the ground came up fast and collided hard with Adon's head. Stars shot into his vision and rendered him immobile for a few seconds, and he flopped over to his back in pain. His hearing was the first sense to come back to him, and it was used to register Seth's condescending words.

"I can utilize every move known to man," he muttered. "What hope do you have to defeat me?"

"Even a monkey can imitate moves," Adon spat back as he lifted himself back up to his feet, "you subhuman ingrate!"

"You call yourself a king… Kings rule men. I have progressed beyond that!" Seth declared proudly. "Come at me again. I'm looking forward to skinning this jaguar!"

Adon growled and pounced at Seth like the big cat he packaged his moves with. He flipped over and extended a leg as he went forward. While he did not know how this opponent fought, Adon figured his speed and ferocious strikes would be enough to whittle his strength down. His leg smashed into Seth's shoulder with a resounding smack, but the chrome man was unfazed. In retaliation, Seth simply brushed the leg off of his shoulder and lowered it before he charged forward like a brute.

As the attack hit home and knocked the Thai man onto his back, Dan Hibiki had finally managed to climb his way back up onto the hill. He had heard Adon's roar when Seth had unleashed hell upon Juri, and he had spared a quick glance at her body to confirm what he had already knew. If he wasn't going to save a life, he was at least going to die trying to avenge one. Dan's heart was pure, but it wasn't enough to cut through the stinging fog of death that was looming about.

The man approached Seth from behind and leaped into the air with his knee leading his charge. As if he had expected such an attack, Seth turned around and blocked the strike without even a grunt of exertion. Dan kicked at the synthetic man's shins to no avail before he reeled a hand back to prepare his signature move, the gadoken. If lives weren't at stake, it would have been funny that Dan's attack dissipated as quickly as it had been fired off. He stared dully at his hand for a moment before Seth grabbed it.

"How generous of you to offer your data..." Seth painfully lifted Dan up by his wrist and smirked. "Unfortunately, it's all worthless to me."

Adon rubbed his back and looked over at the lone tree behind him as Seth kneed Dan in the stomach. Acting on impulse again, the Muay Thai prodigy jumped to the tree and kicked off from it to shoot down at Seth with a leg extended. To Adon's dismay, Seth had disposed of Dan rather quickly and was fully prepared for a counterattack. He punished the Jaguar Tooth strike with a stolen Shoryuken, easily taking his opponent by surprise.

The ground did little to cushion Adon's fall, but he managed to stand back up afterwards.

_'Alright,' _he thought as he massaged his jaw, _'__now I can relate to Sagat's hatred of that damned move.'_

Just as Adon reeled back to strike again, the Tanden Engine in Seth's abdomen sparked up again with vile energy. It spun rapidly and created a small but powerful vacuum that quickly reached out at Adon and drew him forward. He stumbled forward with eyes wide, and he wondered just whether or not he was fighting a weapon or a deity. The synthetic man seemed to carry himself as a god, but that was just the power talking. There was no way Adon could personally find out how Seth acted three years ago, not that he ever wanted to.

The vacuum created an opportunity for Adon that was too good to pass up. He planted one foot in the ground and raised his other in a fierce roundhouse with intent to strike the Tanden Engine when Seth cruelly closed his window of opportunity. A chaotic wind erupted from the machine and tore into Adon's body forcibly enough to cut his skin and draw small beads of blood. The man gritted his teeth against the pain and did his best to persevere, but the machine sparked again and stopped the vortex with a powerful blast of energy.

It was as if a sledgehammer had whacked Adon straight in his ribs. He tumbled back and slammed into the trunk of the lone tree with a grunt of agony. The darkness that was creeping around the corners of his vision threatened to claim him, and he was contemplating whether or not to give in. He was exhausted, beaten, bruised, and disheartened, yet still he stubbornly clung to his pride. It was enough to see him back to his feet, but not enough to keep him there.

Falling to his knees, he cast a glance over at Juri's lifeless body. The crimson life force that was her blood shined in the moonlight, and it was absolutely heartbreaking for Adon to look at. Seth's stolen power had destroyed her, and as unfair as that seemed… what had been done had been done. Juri Han was the only woman Adon had ever come to love and be loved by. She had suffered through so much strife and agony to be here, but Seth had decided she had not suffered enough.

Adon grit his teeth and bowed his head as tears threatened to fall. It wasn't fair. The Korean had fought for what she believed in, and she had gone through hell and back just to avenge those few she loved. She had fought to bring those guilty of the injustices done upon her to her brand of justice. She had finally found someone that cared for her only to be forever ripped away from him. Now she was just another soul for death to claim.

_"What's the matter baby? I thought you would have loved my company..."_

_ "I appreciate your sympathy, Adon..."_

_"Don't worry; I'll take good care of you while you stay here. You satisfy me, I'll satisfy you…"_

_"Do you trust me?"_

_ "I love you…"_

The sound of ruffling grass reached Adon's ears. Quickly, the man raised his head to look over at Juri with wide eyes. Surely he was hearing things, or someone was playing a cruel trick on his mind. To his good fortune, he was wrong. The fingers on Juri's right hand twitched, and a soft and meek whimper came from her. It was, for Juri, a final act of defiance against death itself. But for Adon, it was the greatest bit of encouragement he could find to keep fighting.

With renewed determination, the jaguar king got back to his feet.

"Oh please," Seth muttered as he gazed over at Dan. The man was hardly suited for further fighting, but he struggled to stand. "The penalty for wasting my time is death. You pathetic excuse for a human being, why do you even bother? Fighting me is a hopeless cause."

"There's s-something you fail to realize here," Dan mumbled as he wiped blood from his nose. "Even though people like Ryu and Ken are cool dudes who always seem to win and everyone wants to be… I'm the guy who, even if people call me weak and pathetic, I keep getting back up! I keep trying!" He pointed to himself theatrically with a determined expression on his face. "My father once said to me, 'To get up every time you fall is what it means to be a true man'. I may not win, but I will never give up!"

"It is only hopeless if we give up," Adon growled.

Seth turned back to Adon with a frown. He had thought he had finished that pest with his Tanden Engine, but apparently he had not. Besides human wheedling, Seth furiously detested human stubbornness. They were in bad shape while he had nary a scratch on him, yet still they persisted on fighting. It was commendable, but ultimately futile.

Disregarding the fact that Dan was behind him, Seth advanced towards Adon and struck forward with his leg in a horizontal arc. Instead of striking his target as he intended to, Seth's leg passed harmlessly over Adon's head. The man had ducked, and he was looking up at the synthetic man with gleaming eyes. His trademark grin returned to his face, but he was no longer fighting out of rage. Juri's life was still on the line, after all.

Before Seth could even recover, Adon stood up and slashed an elbow across his grey chest. From that one hit, the Muay Thai man could determine that his opponent could be beaten quickly given the noticeable dent it left in his physique. To follow up on his strike, he slammed a foot into the ground and twisted his body up to deliver a fierce palm to the underside of Seth's jaw. It was an impromptu attack that was guided by instinct, and although Adon had never before used such a move, it seemed to have a tremendous effect.

Adon continued his strikes on his disorientated foe for a few seconds before sending him airborne. Something about the easiness of this reversal made Adon wonder if the synthetic man was used to being attacked. His endurance and stamina, to him, seemed worse than Dan Hibiki's, and the only compensation that was offered were better moves and a superior moveset. After reeling his body back, Adon twisted forward and slammed his knees into the falling body of his foe. The attack flung Seth away from the Thai man and back to Dan, who, with a nod from his unlikely partner, thrust his hands into the air.

"Haoh…"

Seth fell directly in front of the pink-clad man and picked himself up quickly, all the while unaware of Dan's presence behind him. The palms of Dan's hands glowed green and sparked with energy all his own. He waved them about as the energy grew in intensity, and he practically grinned when he saw Seth turn his head to stare at him. Having built up enough power, the Saikyo master sent his palms forward and unleashed a large green projectile the size of an average man.

"Gadoken!"

There was so much power placed into the projectile that Dan couldn't help but be knocked back from it. He tumbled down the hill again and was relatively unharmed, but the same could not be said for Seth. The lime green projectile cut into the chrome man's body with such force that blocking it did nothing. He stumbled back as the energy exploded in front of him, but he did not move too far to be out of harm's way.

Almost instantly, the jab of a knee cut into his back.

"Eat… this!" roared the jaguar king.

The pain of Adon's Rising Jaguar suddenly became a concept Seth could grasp. Lifted high into the air, he felt the sting of another knee strike higher into his back. Adon was not yet sated. He grabbed onto Seth's body to perch on his shoulders like a crazed primate. He used his hands and elbows to slash at his head and body multiple times before pushing the chrome man down to the ground with such force that it shook beneath him. But it seemed nothing more than a rumble compared to the avalanche Adon brought down upon the Tanden Engine.

Seth lurched up and screamed in pain as the Tanden Engine in his abdomen crumbled under the force of Adon's foot. The innards of the contraption were exposed, and Adon wasted no time in dealing with them. He reached down to grab a handful of wires and ripped them out with a yank of his hand. Sparks shot out at him to dissuade him, but he was unfazed. The wires were like Seth's veins, and they needed to be cut with a jaguar's claws.

After much slashing and pulling and cursing, Adon looked down at the Tanden Engine and watched as it sparked one more time before dying out. He had done this without a second thought. He knew that the information for the Shun Goku Satsu was stored inside that sphere, as well as limitless potential for other moves, but he refused to be swayed. The warrior finally turned his head to sneer in Seth's direction, finding he was glaring like a defeated coward.

Adon shook his head and placed his foot on Seth's neck. He would not even give the chrome man the pleasure of words of victory. All it took was a quick motion. With a twist of the foot, Seth's neck snapped. It was so sudden that the chrome puppetmaster couldn't even utter a sound, and perhaps it was better that way. Adon stepped back and gazed at the dead body with a sense of satisfaction, knowing full well what he had just done. A jaguar's first kill, but the most justified.

"You carried yourself like a god, but you died like a rat," Adon muttered. "Such power… No being has a right to such destructive power. I hope you find eternal agony in hell for what you've done to her."

Grunting was heard from the side of the hill and Adon went to investigate. Dan was climbing back up the hill on all fours, breathing heavily. When a hand came down in front of him, he flinched back. He slowly looked up to see that the hand belonged to Adon, and a small smile was on his lips. A grin worked its way onto Dan's face as he grabbed onto the Thai man's hand.

"I-is it over?" he asked as Adon pulled him up to his feet. "Did we get him?"

"What's done is done. He won't lay a finger on anyone anymore."

"Oh good. I thought I was going to die back there…" Dan sniveled and rubbed his broken nose. "Oh who am I kidding, I was sure of it!"

The sound of sirens echoed throughout the area as red and blue lights appeared in the distance. Adon and Dan peered over the hill's edge to see a good-sized squad of police cruisers and ambulances had arrived at the start of the path to the dojo. Men and women in uniform shot out from their vehicles and proceeded on foot to the building, some with weapons at the ready while others had stretchers under their arms.

Adon's smile faded as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Hibiki… go down there and tell them we're up here. I… I just want to…"

Dan followed Adon's gaze to Juri's unmoving body and nodded.

"Hey, I understand bro." He placed a hand on Adon's shoulder and gave a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. You and I both know she's come too far to die now. She'll pull through."

Adon nodded solemnly, but in the back of his mind he had doubts. He turned away from Dan and approached Juri's body as Dan leapt from the hill to get help. By all means, Juri desperately needed it. Her skin color was paler than usual; for she had lost a lot of blood in the time it took for the two fighters to defeat Seth. Terrible bruises provided the only change of tinge in her skin. As carefully as he could, Adon swept up her delicate body in her arms and propped her up against his knee.

She was limp in his arms and cold to the touch, a fact that greatly unnerved her beau. He grabbed hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. There was no response to this action, but Adon was not deterred. He reached forward to brush a strand of hair away from her face when she whimpered softly, painfully. A faint glow came from her left eye. The Feng Shui Engine was doing all that it could to keep her alive. If Juri could speak, she would most likely express astonishment at the irony of Seth's creation being the only thing keeping her alive.

But Adon could provide.

"Juri," he whispered, "if you can hear me… It's over. He will not torment you anymore. I've made sure of that." Fighting tears, he lowered his head to her cheek and choked, "I swear… I swear that I will never leave your side until you are yourself again. That is a jaguar warrior's promise."

And like Juri, he never made promises he could not keep.

* * *

Adon looked up from the dull checkered floor of the hospital and to the small blue clock that hung on the wall. It was eight-thirty in the morning, and the shadows under his eyes showed that he had not gotten much sleep. He had missed his flight out of Tokyo at seven, but he didn't care. Sagat could rant and rave all he wanted, but the man wasn't his primary concern at the moment. The broken woman in the room near him was.

The paramedics who rushed to the scene took care of the others, and Dan. Dan insisted he was fine, but the black eye and bloody nose convinced the paramedics otherwise. After much persuasion, he agreed to be taken to the hospital, partly because he wanted to be with his friends. The other reason he went was because he didn't have a car of his own to drive there.

Yun and Yang got off fairly well with nothing but a few scrapes and bruises. Makoto suffered a broken rib from being kneed in the stomach and Sakura was beaten halfway to death. Adon was grateful that Ibuki composed herself so quickly, as she had called for help instead of breaking down at a moment of life or death. If it wasn't for her, the help Juri so desperately needed would not have arrived in time.

Adon looked over to the kunoichi with a tired smile of appreciation. She was sleeping with her head propped up on Yun's shoulder. The young man had multiple bruises and welts, but he was still quite healthy. His head was tilted back in relaxation, and his arms were warmly wrapped around the woman he called his girlfriend. The younger Lee brother was pacing the hallway with a slight limp to his gait. His expression was one of weariness, as he had been waiting for any piece of information on the karate fighter.

The door to a nearby room opened to reveal a doctor walking out with a clipboard in hand. Even though he wasn't Juri's doctor, Adon leaned forward in his chair to listen in on the impending conversation. The doctor spoke to Yang in a hushed manner, as to not awake the couple on the couch nearby. Whatever the specifics of the conversation were, Yang placed his hands in his pockets and sighed with a relieved smile. The doctor opened the door to the room for him and followed the young man inside.

"Excuse me," someone said to a hallway attendant, "can you direct me to a Ms. Kasugano?"

Adon looked to his right and stared at a man in a light blue hospital gown talking to another man dressed in a dirty white fighting gi. The attendant pointed down the hallway in Adon's direction, which drew the vagabond's gaze to him. Thanking the attendant, he walked down the hallway with purpose, only pausing to give a sympathetic nod in Adon's direction. As soon as the man turned a corner and disappeared from his sight, Adon heard a deep voice behind him.

"This is a strange sight. My student, in a hospital, without any broken bones…"

"Sagat," Adon growled as he turned to look at the one-eyed emperor of Muay Thai. "Just what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing, but I do know why you are here, so I'll skip that question." Sagat scratched his nose with a small grunt. "An old friend had called me a week ago with interesting information. He told me my student had been taken hostage by a psychopath."

"That Ryu person just went past here a second ago," Adon muttered harshly, having lost a bit of respect for the wandering warrior at Sagat's words.

"Yes, I met with him not too long ago. He cares for his new student, and I see the fight still burns brightly within him." Sagat folded his arms. "However, he was not the friend I was referring to."

Before Adon could question that, Dan stepped out from behind the Muay Thai giant with a sheepish grin. His nostrils were stuffed with tissue paper and he was carrying a small bag of ice against his temple and black eye. Looking at Adon's murderous glare, Dan's grin was soon replaced by a frightened pout.

"Psychopath, eh?" Adon quipped towards him.

"It has been many years since I have heard her name, and longer still since we exchanged blows." Sagat rubbed his chin in thought. "Juri Han… the girl with the troubled past… She was the one who brought Shadaloo and S.I.N. down along with their leaders, although that was proven false in the case of the latter." He looked down at Adon and grunted somewhat in recognition. "You fixed that when you finished Juri's former employer off, once and for all."

"Indeed... So I guess you actually do remember her from your time in Shadaloo," Adon grumbled as he got up from his chair.

"Of course. I may be old, but I'm not senile, Adon. I heard she went to Japan after her time in England, and after Dan's 'description' of her, and the fact that you were in Japan too, I put two and two together and found you two here... together." Sagat shook his head as he continued. "Do you know why I sent you on these trips to visit the fighters of the world warrior tournaments?"

"To teach me humility?"

"That too, but I wanted you to regain a sense of your former self. Your crushed pride was the reason you returned as my student, but it was also the reason why you were depressed to no end." Sagat grinned as he uttered his next sentence. "And so, I sent you around the world, not for information or lessons, but for you to find someone suitable."

"Are you saying you were attempting to set me up with a woman?" Adon growled.

"That was not my intention, Adon. I was hoping to find someone willing to fight you, to bring back the fanged beast that was my star pupil. The relations you shared with Juri… that was unexpected, but welcomed. I'm happy to see my plan worked," Sagat said with pride.

To that, Adon couldn't help but grin as well.

"You old fool... I suppose I should thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, not until you know for sure that she will escape the clutches of death itself."

Adon nodded solemnly. While the police and hospital staff looked upon him in great appreciation for his role in defeating Seth, Adon considered the badly injured Korean woman to be much more deserving of praise than he was. She had taken the Satsui no Hado's most infamous move head-on and just barely managed to cling to life afterwards. In all intents and purposes, he should have been the one in the hospital bed instead of her, but he gathered that she had her reasons for her near-sacrifice.

The door to Adon's right opened after a few minutes to reveal a young doctor with short, disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes. He was the doctor that had been assigned to Juri, and he took to her quickly. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, and that wasn't just the Hippocratic Oath speaking. Juri had garnished respect beyond her wildest dreams, and it would have been a crime to refuse to help her. The doctor glanced over at the three men and blinked dully.

"How is she?" Adon asked, unconcerned that the doctor was looking up at the seven-foot tall cyclops.

"Hmm? Oh, right. Well…" the doctor started, adjusting his glasses to look at a small notepad, "she's in critical condition. It's likely she'll be in a coma for a few days, maybe a week. She's lucky to have even survived such a savage beating in the first place..."

"Lucky?"

"Sir, we've never seen anything like this before. Her body is damaged, but it is repairing itself 150% faster than any other recorded patient. We think that the device that would be her left eye is keeping her alive, as well as the numerous IVs and fluids we have going through her. Her left arm is broken and will take weeks to fix, but after roughly four days, she'll be good enough to leave to the hospital in a cast, should she come out of her coma in that time."

"She will. I have every bit of confidence in that woman," Adon said with a proud smile.

"As do I," the doctor said truthfully. He turned to the door to Juri's room and smiled. "You've waited for her long enough. Feel free to visit. While she is unconscious, right now, I think she could use your company."

Adon looked at Sagat for support, who simply nodded his head. Dan flashed a thumbs-up, but quickly regretted it once he pulled a muscle in his arm. He still smiled though.

"Go get her tiger!" he said.

"Jaguar," Adon corrected before he placed his hand on the door handle.


	10. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: Street Fighter and its characters belong to CAPCOM.**

* * *

"And here I passed him off as a hopeless amateur," Cammy said, walking down the sidewalk side by side with the formally dressed Chinese woman. "I never thought Adon, the student of the Muay Thai King, could actually finish Seth off."

Chun-Li nodded.

"Don't forget he had Dan's help." She caught Cammy's confused gaze and smiled. "Yep, that's right, he was a catalyst in Seth's demise."

Cammy blinked and looked down, thinking. No way that fool could have helped. She looked back up and opened her mouth to protest, but quickly closed it before a sound could be emitted. Chun-Li's expression was serious and left no room to second guess her.

"Oh," she said, slightly annoyed, yet relieved at the same time. "That's... interesting... Anyway, getting back on track, what happened to Juri? You said she was in critical condition after an attack from Seth..."

"It wasn't just any attack, but Akuma's infamous move. I caught up with Ryu once, who told me about what that move does. It's incredibly deadly, the Shun Goku Satsu, capable of instantly killing whoever was unlucky enough to get grabbed by it. Only a few people have survived such an attack, and I know one of them."

"The assassin?"

"Yes. Gen managed to survive the attack by emptying his soul, which I know sounds impossible. Juri though... she survived because she had that eye, and because she received help quickly."

"Good for her," Cammy bluntly replied. "How was she after the attack?"

"The other girls got off easy enough with a few cuts and bruises, but Juri got it bad. She had a broken arm, cracked ribs, and was stuck in a coma for a few days."

"If she was in a coma, that would have been the perfect time to get that eye out of her head."

"Cammy," Chun-Li sighed, shaking her head, "the eye was what was keeping her alive; it was what healed her. Ripping it out of her skull would kill her." She frowned, casting a glance at the British woman. "Are you still angry with her?"

The question was asked even when the answer was known to Chun-Li. She just wanted Cammy to admit it.

"It's hard not to be. She beat you and I up separately, then took us on together in this very city, and won!" She huffed and kicked a stone from her path. "Remember that skyscraper under construction?"

"I'm not sure I recall that..." Chun-Li mumbled, drooping her shoulders. "But still, you accepted her apology. Remember, it's because of you that I accepted her apology as well."

"Oh..."

A tinge of guilt provoked her to look away from Chun-Li. Cammy was proud, noble, and to some extent, stubborn. After Juri kidnapped her sisters, Cammy swore vengeance on her, ready to stop at nothing to see her fall by her hands. When Juri relinquished her grip on S.I.N. to let it fall, it didn't do anything to change the Delta Red agent's disposition. Denied from her coveted interrogation of Juri, and forced to keep watch of her in England, Cammy's disgust grew. She taunted Juri a few times, only to receive a sly remark from her. In her eyes, she was planning something; she was up to no good. When Juri apologized for her sins, Cammy bluffed an acceptance of it. She never truly believed her.

Now, after listening intently to Chun-Li, Cammy felt guilty for her snide remarks and behavior. The Chinese woman noticed the look of guilt on Cammy's face and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I want you to go to her today and accept her apology." The figure she rested her hand on sighed and looked at her. "Everybody deserves a second chance. Juri found hers and took it. You have one too."

"Yeah, I'm... I'm sorry Chun."

"It's alright."

Both women smiled at each other. Chun-Li rubbed Cammy's shoulder before returning her hand to her side.

"Ok," Cammy started, perking up, "what happened after her time in the hospital?"

"Adon took care of her. He never left her side when she was in the coma. Her ribs had healed quickly enough, but her left arm was confined to a cast."

"How do you know all this?"

"I visited her in the hospital when I was called to investigate the body of Seth. She was out of her coma at the time and eager to have a conversation with me after a few years. After five days in the hospital, she was allowed to leave with Adon. During the recovery the two got much closer to each other. I knew they were in love long before the incident with Seth."

Chun-Li inhaled deeply through her nose, letting her breath out slowly afterward. She was enjoying the walk to the reception center, the endorphins from the activity putting an extra spring in her step. She looked back to Cammy, who looked up at her like an eager child waiting for the ending to a bedtime story.

"Adon reluctantly returned to Thailand after Juri's recovery. Surprisingly, Sagat dismissed him from his tutelage right away, leaving him with the title of "Prince of Muay Thai". I don't know the exact reason why he dismissed Adon, but I bet it had something to do with Juri."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because as soon as Adon got back to his little home in Thailand did he receive a visitor: Juri on his doorstep. Turns out he wasn't going to get off that easily. And so, after nine months, here we are, walking to their wedding reception."

"Now see, if someone told me those two would be together four years ago, I would have smacked them upside the head," Cammy said, swinging her hand up for emphasis. "H-how was the wedding anyway?"

"Not too short, not too long. I've never seen so many fighters in one place before; Juri had invited everyone who participated in the past tournament, while inviting a few new people who were thinking about going into one. The people who didn't make the wedding, like you, will show up at the reception."

"Who's the best man," Cammy asked, tilting her head a little.

"I was told Adon considered his late mentor at first, but after Sagat politely declined his offer, he turned to Dan to be his best man."

"Oh dear. How did he act at the wedding?"

"Actually, he was very mature. One wouldn't be able to identify him if he didn't wear a pink shirt with his white tuxedo."

Cammy scoffed, grinning.

"I bet Juri threatened him to behave."

"That was my first thought! He was back to his old self as soon as the service ended though, which was a relief to those of us who knew who he really was."

"Alright, so who are the other groomsmen? And the bridesmaids?"

"Sagat and Ken Masters are the other two groomsmen. Ibuki, Makoto, and I make up the bridesmaids. Juri asked me to be the maid of honor, that you know."

Her light blue qipao and skirt combo fluttered in the breeze along with Cammy's white blouse and tan skirt. Cammy reached down to flatten her blouse and readjust it, looking over at Chun-Li's outfit. She knew that she was the maid of honor, but why wasn't she dressed for the part?

"Chun, are all the bridesmaids wearing that outfit?"

"Oh this?" Chun-Li gestured to her outfit with her hands, raising an eyebrow. "Nope. I changed into this after the ceremony. Purple isn't my color."

"Who was the officiant?"

"Officiant?" Chun-Li questioned, furrowing her brow in confusion.

"Uh, the person who weds the couple, I think."

"Thunder Hawk performed the ceremony. Good thing the arch was behind him, or else he would've had to crouch to do his job. You remember the seven and a half foot tall Indian, right Cammy?"

"Yes, he's the one who found Juli after years of searching." She moaned sadly, remembering her and her mental condition the last time she saw her, which was three years ago. "I haven't seen her in awhile... I hope she's doing better..."

Chun-Li knew that Juli was one of Cammy's "sisters", and that she was stuck in what seemed to be a mental coma. She was unresponsive to stimulation and failed to notice visitors after getting freed from Bison's mind control after his death. While never meeting her in person, Chun-Li assumed Juli looked similar to Juni, another one of Cammy's sisters.

She rubbed Cammy's back and offered a few words of encouragement to her as the two women turned a corner. When they looked up they could see the reception center, which was officially known as the Metro City Banquet Hall. The building was square in design, with a domed top and white walls. Generously placed plants and hedges lined the bottom of the outside walls. A few cars pulled into the parking lot nearby, one of which caught the eye of the Chinese woman.

Stepping out of a black Jaguar convertible was a very tall bald man dressed in a white tuxedo. He fumbled with the keys seeing as his hands were almost twice the size of an average pair. After locking the car, the tall man turned to stare at the two women with one pupil-less eye, his other eye covered with a black eyepatch.

"This is sort of ironic," Chun-Li said, looking up at the man. "Sagat drives a Jaguar?"

"It was a rental," Sagat mumbled, pocketing the keys.

He ignored the snickers of the women as he walked past them into the building. The women quickly composed themselves and followed him in. They entered a large room which served as a central hub for other rooms. All other rooms were closed off except for one, which was filled with tables and people. Sagat walked into the room, lowering his head to avoid bumping it against the top of the double-door frame.

"Names?"

Cammy looked over to a young Japanese woman holding a notebook and pencil. She was wearing a white summer dress with an intricate design of pink flowers, a pink pair of sandals, and a clean red ribbon in her hair. Her eyes opened wide and she smiled when she realized who the women were.

"Cammy! Chun-Li!"

"Sakura, it's good to see you!"

"And you two as well. Boy, it's been awhile hasn't it?"

The British woman shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry I never called you at all after the tournament. I've been real busy with Delta Red assignments. You know, the usual go here, neutralize target, return with item kind of thing."

"Same here," Chun-Li added. "Stopping crooks and rooting out terrorists myself. I've never really spoken to you that much Sakura, but any friend of Cammy's is a friend of mine."

Sakura nodded and presented her notebook. On the pages were seating arrangements for the guests, along with a few off-hand notes on how to do her job correctly. She showed the couple where to sit on the notebook and gestured to the room, inviting them inside.

"Have fun you two. I'll get in soon enough."

She bid the two farewell for the time being, returning her attention to the doors as the two women walked into the huge white-walled room. This was where all the action was going to happen, and this was where everyone was. A sleek, large wooden dance floor rested in the middle of the room, leaving tables and chairs with the outer sides. A quaint little bar was located in a corner with a few people crowded around it. In the back of the room, situated front and center of the dance floor, was the head table.

The bride and groom sat in the middle, the groom sitting to the bride's left. He was currently engaged in conversation with his new spouse, and by his facial expressions, he enjoyed every second of it. Juri continued to talk with her husband, failing to notice the best man next to her was impatiently waiting for someone to fix his white bowtie, as he lacked the finesse to do it himself. Sagat sat near Dan, a vacant seat between them. His eye was closed and his arms were folded in peaceful meditation.

"Shouldn't you be up there, sitting near Adon?"

Cammy pointed to the seat near Adon, which would be where the maid of honor sits.

"Yeah I'll mosey my way up there in time. It's cocktail hour! Mingle with the guests!"

"Um... alright."

Socialization wasn't Cammy's strong suit. Her conversations almost always consisted of things relating to her work. Even when she talked about other things, she only shared them with a few very close friends. If she was going to speak with a bunch of acquaintances, she was going to need to loosen up.

She made her way to the bar in hopes of finding something suitable for her while Chun-Li turned and went the opposite way, walking towards numerous tables to spark up a conversation with someone. Cammy stopped in her tracks when a small blond-haired boy absentmindedly stepped in front of her wearing a green shirt and tan shorts. He looked up at the woman and blinked, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

"Oh hey Cammy!"

A hand came down to ruffle the boy's hair as Cammy looked up to the voice. Both the hand and the voice belonged to a blond-haired man in a white groomsman's tuxedo. His hair was blond, but his eyebrows were black, hinting that his natural hair color was black. His face held a smug grin and fiery brown eyes, making it clear this man was none other than Ken Masters.

"Looks like you met my kid, huh? Say hello to the pretty lady Mel!"

The child removed his thumb from his mouth and placed his hands behind his back, looking down. Cammy looked down at the child and smiled. He was obviously shy.

"H-hello..."

"Hello Mel," Cammy replied. She looked back up at Ken. "So, you're a groomsman?"

"Uh uh, not just a groomsman, but the master of ceremonies as well!"

"I'm not sure why Adon picked you to be a groomsman, let alone an MC. You two didn't look like you would be friends in the first place."

"It would seem like that, wouldn't it?" Ken looked down to straighten his bowtie, standing tall with pride. "Nah, we're just short time friends. He needed someone with wedding experience, so he appointed me a groomsman and the master of ceremonies. Eliza's really doing all the planning; I'm just the guy who talks into the microphone. Right Mel?"

Mel scuffed his shoe on the carpet, too shy to respond to his father around a stranger like Cammy.

"Ah he's just shy. Don't worry though, once you get past his tough exterior," Ken said, bending down to playfully poke his son, prompting a giggle, "you'll find he takes right after me!"

A gruff voice came from the entrance to the room, one that Cammy recognized.

"I hope not. I can only put up with one of you, Ken."

Ken stood up, his grin replaced with an apathetic expression as he looked at the USAF Major. He was dressed in a crisp black officer's dress uniform, generously decorated with a few badges. His hair was left in its trademark tall blond flattop style, well groomed of course. Two other people walked in behind the Major, a tall brunette woman and her daughter, also with brown hair.

"Cammy," the Major addressed her with a nod.

"Guile," she responded, nodding back.

"Julia!"

Ken looked over his shoulder to see his wife approaching the group, eager to see her sister. Julia smiled and walked forward, swallowing her younger sister up in an embrace.

"Sorry Bill," Eliza said, peering over Julia's shoulder at Guile, "but I'm going to take her away for a few. We girls need to catch up!"

"Alright, see you soon honey." Ken smirked once the pair left, muttering to himself. "I'll just talk with old William then."

Guile's brow twitched. He didn't like having his first name of William being used as it made Guile look older than he was. At least Eliza had the decency to use an alternate version of his first name. But still, only a few people were allowed to call him by his first name.

His spoiled rich brother-in-law was not one of them.

"Hey Dad?"

The Major looked down at his twelve year-old daughter, managing a smile.

"I'm going to try to find Lauren," she said, gesturing to the tables.

"Alright Amy, I bet she's around here somewhere. Remember, we're at table two."

Amy nodded and walked off, Mel waddling after her. It was unsure if the two children were simply passing time, or just trying to get away from their soon-to-be bickering fathers. Cammy rolled her eyes and pushed her way between the two fathers, eager to get out before the insults started to fly.

Meanwhile, one of the tomboyish bridesmaids had her arms around the younger Lee brother's neck, smiling into a camera. Yang flicked his hair away from his face and smiled at the camera, which was held by the other bridesmaid.

"Bingo," Ibuki mumbled, pressing a button on the camera. The camera flashed to illuminate the room, taking a picture. "There, I got it!"

Makoto quickly pecked her boyfriend on the cheek and ran over to her best friend to see. The camera held a still image of the karate fighter in her beautiful purple and black bridesmaid's dress holding onto her date. All seemed well until the girls spotted a pair of fingers above Yang's head.

"Yuuuuuuuuun," Ibuki whined, "you ruined it!"

Yun laughed as he sat down while Yang tapped his foot in annoyance. Before he could scold his twin brother, Chun-Li walked in between the two, grabbing their attention. She moved towards a table occupied by a Chinese movie-maker, a portly, amiable Japanese man, and a strange woman she remembered seeing before. The blond woman had two large side ponytails, bushbaby sized blue eyes, and a light blue dress with a dark blue heart on the stomach.

Noticing their boyfriends were looking at Chun-Li, the girls looked at each other, then back at the woman. Makoto rubbed her head, thinking out loud.

"You know, I've just met Chun-Li during this whole wedding thing as a bridesmaid, but I have a feeling I've seen her before."

"Are you kidding? Of course you've seen her before," Ibuki answered. "She's the strongest woman in the world!"

"Strongest woman in the world?" Makoto scoffed, folding her arms. "My ass! I'll debunk that theory in the next tournament!"

"Mak, we don't even know when the next tournament starts, or who's hosting it..."

"Oh. Well mankind has yet to recognize _my _strength."

"Well," a man with long brown braided hair mumbled, storming away from a table, "my intelligence has just been insulted."

At the table was a large, fat blond-haired man in a yellow Hawaiian shirt, speaking with three other table members. Well, he wasn't speaking with them, but rather ranting on about something. The Indian man across from him had his seat pushed out from the table, sitting in a typical yoga meditation position. His eyes were closed and his expression was calm; perhaps he was simply ignoring the rants of the large man.

The small woman in a tacky outfit nearby was listening intently, her eyes practically glowing from being near him. As she pulled her hands up to rest under her chin, one would notice her wedding band on her finger and her swollen belly, as well as her mismatched shoes. There was also a well-built blond man in a perplexed state next to the larger man, running his hands through his short hair. He then rubbed his scarred face and sighed, giving up trying to understand the incoherent speech.

Amidst a small crowd of people standing near a different table, a green-eyed redhead in a black dress and white coat stepped out. Her coat had an ID tag on the front identifying her as a psychiatrist, and the dog tag around her neck hinted that she was involved with the military. She smirked as she blocked the path of the sharply dressed brunette from earlier.

"And what do you think you're going to do to that man, now that your prized intelligence has been insulted?"

"For his sake it was simple absentmindedness. His mouth runs faster than he does!"

"That's just Rufus," the woman replied, smiling politely at the narcissist. "He does that a lot. At least his mouth didn't insult your beauty, Vega."

"Ms. Nash, your treatment has worked, and I'm grateful for it." Vega frowned and looked back at Rufus. "However, there are still times when I wish for, what would he say, a punching bag?"

The woman nodded, looking over at the table she had come from. Her name was Maya Nash, past-wife of the late Charlie Nash. Working for the CIA under the codename Crimson Viper, Maya sought to locate her husband, who she believed was held in the labs of S.I.N. When found, she and Charlie's best friend Guile gave him a proper burial after several years of being missing in action. Guile was surprised his best friend's wife was the one dogging his co-workers, when in reality she was secretly working towards the same goal as he. As a show of good faith, in front of Charlie's grave he presented Maya with her husband's dog tag, a gift she now always wore around her neck.

"Well it's only natural you feel that way. I want you to make a list of the things that will rile you up today, so we know what to do if you start getting the itch. We wouldn't want you murdering anyone at her wedding now, would we?"

Vega smiled, nodding to show his gratitude. He then craned his neck in an attempt to look over the small throng of people situated near Maya's table.

"What is going on over there?"

"Over there? Your old buddy is about to lose in a small game of poker."

"Now this I need to see," he chuckled, rubbing his hands together.

Gently pushing their way to a good view of the table, Maya and Vega found one of the ex-Shadaloo Lieutenants staring at a hand of cards as if his life depended on it. Balrog looked up from his set of cards at a very calm and elegantly dressed woman holding her own set. Her face was devoid of any emotion unlike Balrog's, which was twisted into a smug grin. In between the two were three cards, face down.

The woman gently nudged the dealer, who wasn't paying attention. The man opened his eyes and looked at the Italian woman before nodding, revealing one of the cards; a ten of diamonds. Balrog slouched back in his chair, disheartened. Both players decided to continue, allowing the dealer to reveal another card, which turned out to be the king of spades. The woman's eyebrow twitched as she stared at it. Soon, the final card was turned; an ace of clubs.

The boxer beamed as he placed his pair of cards on the table in front of him, folding his arms. Surely nothing would beat his ace of spades and king of hearts! Then, the woman smiled softly, lowering her cards to the table. Two aces, one of hearts and one of diamonds. Balrog practically slammed his head into the table in self-disgust.

"Well Rose," the dealer calmly said, shaking his head, "you've won yet again. But of course that's no surprise."

"Hmm… perhaps luck is on my side, Guy."

"Damn, there goes my night money," Balrog mumbled, fishing for a twenty dollar bill.

A large hand came to rest on Guy's shoulder, prompting him to look up at a large, muscular man in a mayor's uniform.

"You know, I've been thinkin'... Maybe opening up a casino in the city wouldn't be in bad taste. It might even help cut down on crime!"

"Michael, that's a terrible idea." Guy stood up from his seat and walked away from the table, Mayor Haggar following. "We've got the Mad Gears on the run; giving them a place to convert and operate out of is just asking for trouble."

"Yeah, I'm with Guy," said a nearby police officer with blond hair and noticeable stubble on his chin. He drank from a glass filled with beer, lifting a finger to pause the two. After finishing his drink he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his uniform. "We don't need any reason to bring those guys back. Maybe when we fully snuff them out you can think about a casino, Mike."

"Ah, you guys," the Mayor of Metro City said with a smile, "what would I do without you two?"

"You'd probably be stuck in your office for all eternity if it weren't for Officer Travers and I."

"Officer Travers," Cody repeated, rubbing his chin. "Yeah, that's got a nice ring to it."

After the people of Metro City recognized his vigilante acts as a service rather than a menace, Cody was freed from his prison sentence. Now a free man, Cody decided to do some good for his hometown. He applied to become a police officer, and with the support of his best friend and the mayor of the city himself, he joined the ranks of the Metro City Police Department. At times he detested the feel of a police baton, longing for the cold steel of a wrench, but all that failed to matter in time. He was once again a hero in the eyes of the citizens.

"Anyway, it's good that you came out here to show your support of the couple's marriage."

"Anything for the lady who brought down Shadaloo, boys. Saves you and me from forming up again." Haggar laughed and rubbed his beard. "Three against everyone else, remember those times?"

The ninja and street fighter turned police officer nodded and laughed, recounting events from the past with the Mayor. While the three were caught in nostalgia, Chun-Li was finishing up her conversation with the ponytailed woman. The woman held up her hand, pointing to a sapphire ring on her ring finger. Chun-Li held her amazed face as she looked upon the ring.

"I still can't get over this Mika," she said, peering into the blue jewel. "You married your biggest fan!"

"He did too! Ever since I saw him on TV with his funny acts and that mysterious mask, I fell head over heels for him!"

Rainbow Mika beamed when she caught sight of her spouse bounding towards the master of ceremonies. Ken removed his eyes from his brother-in-law's muzzle to focus on the masked chef near him. He listened to the hyperactive chef speak, observing his motions as carefully as possible. Ken nodded after a minute and sent El Fuerte back to the kitchen where he came from. He then shrugged off his irate brother-in-law with a sly sneer, retreating to the head table.

"Alright," Mika exclaimed, attracting the attention of her table, "Mr. Masters is going to do… something!"

Chun-Li grinned sheepishly at her as Ken took a microphone in hand. He tapped it once to check if it worked, and after getting a confirmation check from the always smiling Jamaican DJ, Ken looked up at the bride, who nodded.

"Alright everyone, listen up! The bridal party, including me," he said with a smirk, "thank all of you who could come. In a while we'll start calling tables up to grab a plate and pick out some food over there," he said, pointing to a section of the wall that had been taken down to show rows of food, "prepared by the one and only, El Fuerte! And don't worry; to those who fell behind in the news, his food truly got better."

"Que?" El Fuerte asked behind one of the food carts, raising an eyebrow. "Does my flavor frighten them?"

"She speaks highly of you," Adon said, tilting his head in the direction of the bride. He stood on the other side of the cart with a plate in his hands and a woman leaning against his shoulder, peering down at the selection of food with an eager look in her eyes. His black tuxedo was neatly pressed and his red hair lacked its usual headband. "I'll eat anything, especially something so highly praised."

"Aha! You have a good trait there amigo!" He waved his hand over the food, dragging the couple's attention around as he identified the fruits of his efforts. "Feast your eyes, and soon, your taste buds on anything you see fit!"

The couple smiled at the eccentric chef, using provided utensils to pick out favorable foods. The rest of the head table, including Ken's wife and son, followed closely behind the pair. Makoto held her stomach and groaned, not looking forward to the spicy food.

"I hate wedding food, but I hate spicy food even more..."

"Really?" Ibuki questioned, turning around to look at her friend. "You don't have to get spicy food. The chef made other dishes that aren't spicy."

"Oh thank god," she sighed, wiping her forehead clear of sweat.

El Fuerte really outdid himself this time. Not only did he include his restaurant's famous dishes, he also included the standard bland wedding fare for people who weren't particularly daring. He practically shrieked with glee when most of the patrons swallowed their pride to test his food, finding it wasn't half-bad at all.

From her seated position at the bar, Cammy could see the bride leaving the area with her plate of food, followed closely behind by the groom. She no longer felt contempt towards the Korean woman; her sins had been paid for. One thing Cammy did feel, was guilt. She had to accept her apology from three years ago, as well as offer one of her own apologies for not doing so before.

"Is something the matter, Ms. White?"

The posh accent of the bartender brought Cammy back to the present as she turned around. Standing behind the counter was an elegantly dressed gentleman with dark skin and a pair of blue boxing gloves. Even with boxing gloves on, he managed to perform the most mundane and simplistic of tasks. The current task at hand was cleaning drinking glasses with a white rag while speaking to a fellow Brit.

"I-it's nothing Dudley," Cammy stuttered, reaching for her British ale.

"Now Camilla..." Dudley sighed. "You make for a terrible liar."

Cammy groaned and put her head down on the counter. The boxer raised an eyebrow at her behavior, continuing to clean glasses.

"I assume it has something to do with the bride, am I correct?" When Cammy nodded her head, Dudley set down his glass and rag and placed his gloved hands behind his back. "Old unfriendly rivalries only hinder you in the long run. One must let things from the past slide in the present so things in the future run smoothly. View her as a new friend instead of a spiteful adversary."

"Yeah..." Cammy started, rubbing her temples, "I'll do that. I feel like I owe her an apology for not realizing that sooner." She smiled at the bartender. "Thank you Dudley."

"You are most welcome. Now, you should run along and grab yourself something to eat. I'll get something for myself in time."

The British woman nodded and rotated on her stool, stepping down to the floor. She quickly stretched her back before taking a step forward.

"Oh, Ms. White!"

She turned around, raising an eyebrow at the gloved gentleman.

"I don't suppose your organization can help with finding a stolen automobile now, can it?"

"Heh heh, no, I'm sorry Dudley."

"Drat."

A well-built Japanese man entered the room with Sakura on his arm after a while. Unsurprising was the fact that this man didn't wear any formal garb, opting to wear only his white gi and red headband, plus he held his white duffel bag over his shoulder. His feet were left bare and his hair was disheveled. Astonishingly, the gi was well-kept and strikingly white, clearly new. On closer inspection, one would see the initials K.M. on the front.

"Ryu!"

The couple turned their heads to look at the master of ceremonies coming at them with a grin. Ryu raised an arm that was not currently held by Sakura and offered his fist in greeting. Ken lifted his and bumped it against his best friend's, nodding towards Sakura.

"Glad you could come bro. I see you actually decided to dress up for this."

"Yes, thank you for the clean gi Ken. It would be disrespectful of me to wear my dirty one to a wedding." He looked around at all the guests, all busy eating their dinner and speaking with their table members. "I see we're all eating now. Quick question, as I am inexperienced with weddings: who is the man who plays the music?"

"You mean the DJ?"

"Yes, who is the DJ?"

Sakura and Ken squirmed a little and looked at each other. After what seemed to be at least a minute of awkward silence, Sakura tugged on her teacher's arm.

"Ryu, isn't that obvious?"

As Ryu scratched his head in confusion, the sound of someone clinking their spoon against glass radiated through the room, drawing the attention of everyone. Ken, noticing what was about to happen, picked up a microphone and tossed it to Dan. He missed the catch but was saved by the young ninja sitting near him, who handed the microphone over.

There was a strange silence in the room that lasted for only a few seconds. In those few seconds, most people felt apprehensive about Dan being the one to make a toast to the couple. The bride and groom, however, seemed curious about what he was going to say. Finally, Dan cleared his throat and tapped the microphone.

"I see I have your attention," he said with a smirk. "Most of you know me, but some of you don't. I'm Dan Hibiki, the best man. We're all delighted to be here today on this joyous occasion. Now I know I'm not the best toast-teller here, but as the best man it is my duty to take a few moments to say a few words about our bride and groom."

Dan quickly drank from a glass of water, setting it back down on the table. He gestured to the groom as he continued.

"Now, you all know Adon, right? Cocky, loud, stalwart. I admit that we actually have those things in common! That makes me think of something my sister said: "Opposites attract". I disagree with that. Adon," he said, looking at him, "you found someone just as crazy as you, and I'm jealous! Well actually, Juri found you first." Quite a few chuckles came from the guests, unsure if they were supposed to laugh or keep quiet. Adon shook his head while Juri grinned, rubbing her husband's shoulder. "I know, I know, I'm not here to humiliate the groom. Heck, if I got married, and that's a big "if", Adon would be up here giving me one humiliation to remember. But this isn't about me. This is about the bride and groom."

Without missing a beat, Dan brought out his closing for the toast.

"Adon, take Juri's hand and place your hand over hers." Juri looked at Adon and smiled, placing her hand near him. Adon returned the gesture with a smile of his own, placing his hand over hers. Both of them stared lovingly into each other's eyes, an action that did not go unnoticed by the guests. "Now, I want you to remember this moment and cherish it... because this will be the last time you'll ever have the upper hand!"

At this, most of the guests laughed and some of them quietly nodded, understanding the joke. Sagat himself was enjoying a hearty chuckle and the bride was giggling uncontrollably, much to the dismay of the flustered groom. Juri came down from her fit and squeezed Adon's hand, bringing his attention back to her.

"I'm sure he just means in our marriage."

"In the marriage..." The two stared at each other for a few seconds while the guests continued to snicker. Soon, Adon cracked a smile. "I trust you'll be gentle then?"

"Oh I don't know... maybe if you pamper me enough," she purred.

"You'll receive plenty of that tonight, on our honeymoon, and whenever you wish it, my sweet spider."

"You certainly know how to make a girl feel like a queen, jaguar-boy. I like it."

"Alright," Dan said, raising his glass. "Let's all raise our glasses and drink! Congratulations you two!"

A great amount of applause was about to erupt when Dan lifted his drink to his lips, but he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. The maid of honor had a look of determination on her face as she gestured to the microphone in Dan's hand. Shrugging, Dan handed over the microphone to the woman, who took it and quickly composed herself for her speech.

"Most, if not all of you, know me as Chun-Li Xiang. I have a toast as well, but most of it is directed towards the bride."

Ignoring the mumbles and whispers from the many guests, as well as the concerned look from the bride and groom, Chun-Li went forward with her toast.

"When I first met you Juri, I didn't think anything of you. You were a callous and sadistic fighter who constantly dogged me and my friends. We believed there was no hope for you, even when we heard about what happened to you long ago."

She closed her eyes and brought the microphone to her bosom, contemplating what else to say. What else was there to say? That she killed many innocents? That her path was dark and destructive? That she felt something for the woman even when she defeated her time and time again?

No, she couldn't say any of those things. Especially not at her wedding. Juri had come so far and lost so much. She looked up and over at Juri, whose downcast eyes made it obvious she was listening, and regretting her actions from the past. She had changed so much. When she looked up, Chun-Li was smiling at her.

She had found something to say.

"Juri, never forget what I am about to say this day. You've proved us, all of us, wrong. You are a source of courage and strength in a depressing world, illuminating the dark path that you've traveled on for so long so others may follow behind you. Your efforts are laudable, and your heart, although dark and wounded, is pure. Y-you've turned your life around so much..." Fighting tears, Chun-Li grabbed her glass and hoisted it into the air alongside Dan. "To the bride and groom, may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward. Congratulations!"

Both the best man and maid of honor rose their glasses to their lips, drinking to honor the newlyweds. The applause came afterward, quiet and respectful. Almost everyone was clapping, not just for Dan or Chun-Li's heartfelt toast, but for the new couple, brought together by their profound love for each other. Juri looked back at Chun-Li, having been distracted by all the wonderful support in front of her. She smiled and gave a silent "Thank you" before looking back at her groom, ready to get back into the party mood everyone was in before the toasts.

"That was an interesting toast," Cammy said to Chun-Li as she stepped down from the head table.

"I meant every word that I said. They deserve their happiness, for too long have either of them gone without it." She reached forward and caressed the left side of Cammy's face, smiling. "Alright. I've gotten something off my chest, now you need to do the same."

Cammy reached up to hold Chun-Li's hand, staring at it. She closed her eyes and nodded as she brought her other hand to rest on top of hers.

"After the first dance I'll talk to her."

A crash resounded through the room, followed by an expression of surprise.

"Bollocks," Dudley cried, looking down at his feet at a broken glass.

He tossed his white rag to the bar counter and bent down to brush the shards away with his gloved hands. For Dudley, those gloves almost never came off. He brushed his teeth with them, gardened with them, and groomed his mustache with them. His old sparring partner approached the bar and leaned over it, smirking.

"Butterfingers, eh champ? Maybe you shouldn't be wearing gloves when you're bartending."

"I think not! I'll wear these gloves until I've made up for the time I've spent without them!"

"Oh right, you got 'em stolen from you. Well, keep doing whatever it is you do, but keep in mind she'll kick you out if you break another glass."

"What in the bloody hell is a kick?" Dudley quipped, grinning.

Balrog chuckled and walked away from his old rival. By now everyone had finished their dinner; some were even looking forward to dessert. The guests knew that at every wedding there was a cake and a few treats, and this wedding was no exception. A beautiful, circular three-tier white cake rested in the corner of the room surrounded by baked goods, chocolate surprises, and a few gifts. Beautiful blue frosting lined the edge of the cake and intricate, edible red roses were indented on the white surfaces.

Suddenly the lights dimmed, leaving a few alone to shine on the hardwood surface of the dance floor. Ken picked up a microphone and walked over to the DJ booth. In the booth was the cheerful Jamaican Deejay, smiling wide enough for everyone to see his large white teeth. He took the microphone, shuffled his feet, and twirled around before speaking into it.

"Heeeeeyyy! Attention everybody, we're gonna start the first dance!" He hopped twice in excitement, pointing to the bride and groom. "Alright you two, come on down!"

Adon gulped while Juri twiddled her fingers together nervously. This first dance was not their first, as they had danced together before. The idea of dancing in front of all those people unnerved the couple, but they couldn't sit out on the dance that was meant for them. Juri looked to Adon, and he looked to her. Smiling sheepishly, Adon offered his hand as he stood from his seat.

As Juri did the same, she starred into the eyes of her husband. All of their troubles seemed to vanish as they moved to the dance floor. Deejay clicked a song labeled as "First Dance" on a small laptop, prompting slow music to make its way through the speakers and into the room. The song picked was _"Just the Way You Are"_ by Billy Joel, a classic for weddings.

Guests leaned forward in their seats, watching as the bride and groom pressed their hands together, taking left in right and right in left. Slowly they started to move in the center, paying no attention to anything outside their space. Lost in their own world, there was only the newly wed couple, the floor, and the music lyrics.

_Don't go changing, to try and please me_

_You never let me down before_

_Don't imagine you're too familiar_

_And I don't see you anymore_

_I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble_

_We never could have come this far_

_I took the good times, I'll take the bad times_

_I'll take you just the way you are_

"Why did you pick this song?" Juri asked, tilting her head up to look into Adon's auburn eyes.

Adon looked at her and smiled, continuing to dance with his bride.

"Well... Masters showed me a list of songs I could choose, and this one caught my eye."

_Don't go trying some new fashion_

_Don't change the color of your hair_

_You always have my unspoken passion_

_Although I might not seem to care_

"As the name of the song implies, I love you just the way you are."

Juri sighed fondly, closing her eyes and resting her head against Adon's chest.

"That goes the same for you, sweetie."

_I don't want clever conversation_

_I never want to work that hard_

_I just want someone that I can talk to_

_I want you just the way you are._

The groom looked up from his spouse at Deejay and cocked his head to the bridal table, signaling that they could come dance now. Deejay nodded and took the microphone in hand, speaking softly.  
"Come on bridal party, you're wanted on the dance floor!"

_I need to know that you will always be_

_The same old someone that I knew_

_What will it take till you believe in me_

_The way that I believe in you._

Quickly taking their girlfriends' hands, Yun and Yang led them to the dance floor, each taking their own corner. Ken and Eliza came as well, followed by Dan and a small orange-haired German woman, one Cammy would recognize as her sister, Juni. Cammy didn't mind that Dan was dancing with her, just as long as he didn't do anything stupid. Knowing Dan, he wouldn't last long.

_I said I love you and that's forever_

_And this I promise from the heart_

_I could not love you any better_

_I love you just the way you are._

"Looking good buddy," Ken said to Adon as he passed them.

"You're doing just fine hon," Eliza mentioned softly, looking at Juri.

The couple nodded in thanks before getting back into rhythm.

_I don't want clever conversation_

_I never want to work that hard_

_I just want someone that I can talk to_

_I want you just the way you are._

The song ended and the lights slowly began to brighten, illuminating the room. More quiet applause came from the guests as they rested their eyes on the bride and groom, who were lost in a kiss. As Adon came away from it, Juri batted her eyelashes at him.

"I know you're going to get this a lot from me soon, so I'll start right now: I love you, and I always will."

"There is no other woman I would have picked to be my queen. I love you Juri, and I always will."

Yun and Ibuki stayed on the dance floor, awaiting the next dance. Makoto and Yang, not particularly daring, decided to step off and go dance on the song after the one following shortly. Both the Masters and Juni left the floor with satisfied grins while Dan remained, eager to either make a fool out of himself or dance.

"Hmm... Why don't you dance with one of the girls sweetie," Juri said to Adon, glancing at the crowd of onlookers. "I need to seek out someone."

Nodding, Adon let go of her hand and watched as she left.

Juri walked through the crowd, stopping occasionally to receive a congratulations or a handshake from one of the guests. It was here where she mingled with the crowd that people could see her clearly. Her black hair flowed down to her back, swaying with every step she took. Her dress was practical yet elegant. It held vine and spiderweb-like designs in its white fabric, coiling around until it reached Juri's white and violet corset. On her arms were Adon's red and blue armbands, a symbol of her attachment to him.

When she managed to get through the crowd, she looked to the bar. Dudley was attempting to get his gloved hand out of a pitcher, but he had difficulty doing it. Guile and Maya were up at the bar along with a double-pigtailed blond woman, all of whom were watching the spectacle in front of them with a sense of bewilderment. The woman tensed when Juri's hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"Cammy... just the person I wanted to see."

Her pigtailed target slowly turned her head, looking at Juri with wide eyes.

"Juri... I-I, uh..." she stammered, turning her body to face her. "I have s-something I need to say to you..."

"Oh? What is it?"

"You remember that time in England three years ago, where you apologized to me?"

"Yeah, you forgave me."

Cammy squirmed a little and looked down at her hands.

"Actually, I... didn't. I lied when I said I accepted your apology."

"...Why?" Juri folded her arms and frowned. "Wasn't that slap-fest enough to convince you? And by the way that Juni girl slaps hard for being small."

"I just didn't believe you. I didn't see you as a person seeking retribution but rather another Bison." She looked up at the Korean woman and sighed. "But after hearing about your time spent in Japan and seeing what's happened here, I feel stupid for not listening to you. Guilty is a better word, for I was far too stubborn at the time to believe you."

Standing up so she was eye level with Juri, Cammy continued her plea.

"Look, I want to say... I want to say that I accept your apology. And I also want to offer one." Juri raised an eyebrow and dropped her arms, smiling slightly. "Juri, I'm sorry that I tormented you in England, and I'm sorry for lying to you back there. You've really changed, just like Chun said."

Juri smiled fully and embraced her, sighing with relief.

"Apology accepted, and I mean it."

Cammy, unsure what to do at the moment, simply stood still with her arms at the side. She wouldn't go too far to call her a friend, but she was much more than an acquaintance. After a few seconds Cammy's expression turned from disbelief to acceptance, and she moved her arms around Juri's waist, returning the hug.

"But I wouldn't say that I've changed," Juri said with a grin. "I'm just not working for S.I.N. anymore."

"Speaking of S.I.N...," Guile said from nearby, taking his eyes off of Dudley, "pull up a seat. Juri. We need to discuss something important."

"What's the trouble this time," she mumbled, letting go of Cammy to take a vacant stool. "And why are you telling me this now?"

"Because this is like a high school reunion," Maya replied, taking a sip from her drink. "All the people we know from the tournaments are here, and it's the time to catch up from being out of contact for so long."

"Exactly. We haven't gotten a hold of you for awhile, so we're doing this now." Guile coughed and set down his beer, wiping his mouth afterward. "Thanks to you and your husband, Bison and Seth are rotting in their shallow graves. Fitting ends for less than laudable lives. However, when you took down S.I.N. a few scientists managed to escape. Cammy's Delta Red group managed to get a few of them, but the rest of them joined some new organization, something we haven't encountered before."

"Another organization?"

"I'm afraid so. We haven't gotten much info on them, but what we do know is that they're more of a cult. They're called The Illuminati, and their leader is a man named Gill. We, as in the USAF, CIA, and Delta Red, think they may be a threat for you, given your previous alignment with S.I.N."

"Does Chun know about all of this?"

"Yes," Cammy answered, "she was one of the first to find out. There's just no rest for the wicked it seems."

"Rodger that," Guile muttered. "These folks have yet to scratch the surface and make a name for themselves. I want you to lay low for a few months, maybe a year tops. We don't know what they can do yet."

"They could host another tournament," Juri said, shrugging. "This Gill guy might make the same damn mistake Bison and Seth did."

"Come on Juri, do you really believe this organization is dumb enough to do that?" Maya waved her hand as she spoke, "That will be the third time, and I'm not looking forward to it."

"Well, you know what they say... Third strike's the charm."

"Third strike eh," Dudley said, still fumbling with his stuck gloved hand. "I might throw my hat into the tournament, if only to find out where my father's car went to." As he said that, the glove came loose, freeing itself from the pitcher it was stuck in. "Bloody brilliant! Finally!"

Juri smiled and looked to the dance floor. Rose was busy dancing with Adon, seeming to impart tips and tricks about marriage to him while they danced. Other couples were on the floor as well, along with a few singles.

"I'll make sure to tell Adon about this. Take care you three."

No sooner did Juri leave did Chun-Li arrive. She placed her hands on her hips and grinned at Cammy, who leaned forward eagerly.

"See? Doesn't it feel like you've gotten a large load off your chest?"

"Y-yes, it does."

"I'm glad you did all that for Juri, Cammy. Its her wedding, and she deserves our support."

"Support," Cammy repeated playing with her braids nervously. "The best support I could think of was to keep low and out of the way. That's why I'm here at the bar. Can't socialize with anybody new."

"Well I'm going to fix that," Chun-Li said, reaching for her sides.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Come on, I'm taking you dancing!"

With that, Chun-Li pulled Cammy off of the stool and lifted her up to rest over her shoulder. Being the strongest woman in the world made it easy to pick up the small woman and walk back towards the dance floor. Cammy, from her vantage point, blew a strand of hair out of her face and looked at everyone bringing up the behind. Most everybody was used to this kind of behavior and laughed at the sight.

"Hey bring her back in one piece alright?" Guile shouted after them.

Soon, anybody who was anybody could be found on the dance floor. Ken and Deejay had prepared a plethora of songs to play, most of which were songs anybody could dance to. A few were long songs, and a few of those few were even country, prompting the Air Force Major to grab his wife for a dance. Those who weren't dancing were on the sidelines, chatting with friends.

One man who wasn't dancing was sitting in a seat which was too small for his size. His muscles were huge, something he highly treasured. He leaned forward in his seat, looking down at seven seven-year-old children with brown hair, all wearing what seemed to be stone-grey caps. The large man smiled at the Turkish girls and continued to speak, occasionally gesturing with his hands.

"Oh you would not believe the fun we have back in Russia little ones! Almost every day I go to Siberian forests to find a worthy opponent! At times I don't find an opponent, and I simply play with friends."

"You have friends in the forest Mr. Zangief?" asked one of the girls, raising her hand as if she was in class.

"Of course little one! Many friends! Take for instance Sasha, a beautiful grizzly bear who doesn't like to fight. She is very gentle! Could even be compared to American Gentle Ben!" He pointed to a scar on his arm, flexing it afterward. "See this? This was given to me by Boris, strongest bear I ever fought! We wrestle many times!"

"Silly Zangief," the girls giggled, rolling their eyes. "Bears can't wrestle!"

"You doubt me, my tiny comrades?" He stood up and flexed his muscles, the red cloak that covered them falling to the ground. "Feast your eyes on these, then tell me if you doubt me!"

"Alright friend," a large red man said, laughing as he stepped forward. "I think they understand, right girls?"

"Uh... we think so Daddy," they replied in unison.

"See Hakan? They still doubt me!"

"Hey you two," Honda shouted towards them with a plate and fork in his hands, "cake's about to get cut!"

The three wrestlers looked at each other, then at the girls, then at the cake. Already the girls were up and running past their father, who quickly stumbled after them with Honda and Zangief on his tail.

Adon and Juri had already finished talking to the guests about the cake as the group arrived. They looked to each other and, with Juri taking a special silver cake knife in hand, advanced towards the three-tier cake. Following tradition, Juri's right hand gripped the knife and held it a foot away from the cake. Adon's hand gently held her right, serving to guide her into the cake.

"Hold that pose," Ibuki muttered to herself, lining up the two in her camera's sights.

As she took the picture, the couple made the first slice into the bottom layer, prompting cheers to erupt from the crowd. The knife was lifted out from the renowned delicacy and was dropped into it again just an inch from the original cut. Adon picked up the slice of cake and broke it in two, handing one to his wife. Juri leaned forward and licked her lips as Adon brought his half towards her with a dignified smile.

Quickly she experienced the sugary bliss that was the cake, lovingly fed to her by her husband. A few coos came from the crowd, mostly from the young ninja/novice reporter. Adon's half of cake was quickly finished, and she licked her lips again, cleaning them of frosting and crumbs. She grinned and brought her half of cake towards Adon's mouth, a glow of mischief in her eyes. He rolled his eyes and leaned forward to get at her half.

She purposely got a bit of frosting on his face, only so she could reach out and wipe it off. She then giggled, sticking her frosted finger in her mouth afterward.

"I'm not sure I got all of that," Adon said, giving Juri a smirk and a lip of his lips.

"Maybe there's still some sugar on my lips..."

Juri caressed the side of Adon's face, leaning in to give a passionate kiss.

"Quick kid!" Dan exclaimed, nudging Ibuki. "Take another picture!"

"Ew!" Ibuki shuddered, flinching away from Dan. "I'm not taking a picture of that! You're weird Dan!"

As soon as the couple got out from the area with their arms wrapped around each other, the guests helped themselves to the cake. Dan was put in charge of cutting it for everyone, giving him the perfect opportunity to set aside a good piece for himself. Dancing continued for another hour, with Deejay himself stepping in at times to dance, tired of being cooped up in his DJ booth. When the father/daughter and mother/son dances came, Hakan found himself in a predicament: he had seven daughters! He wisely choose to dance with all of his daughters, lest he anger his normally soft-spoken wife.

"Sorry Dan-man," Deejay said into the microphone, his smile refusing to fade from his face as he apologized to the Saikyo master on the dance floor, "I know you want to keep dancin', but this next one's for the girls."

"Aww... oh well. I had my fill!" He smirked and looked to his dancing partner, making a phone gesture with his hand. "Hey Juni, call me sometime alright?"

"B-but," she stuttered, watching him leave the dance floor, "you didn't even give me your number..."

"Alright single ladies," Deejay shouted, waving his hand for attention, "I want every single one of you on the dance floor! It's time for the bouquet toss!"

Deejay shuffled around until he reached his laptop, clicking on a song just for the girls. As the Hall and Oates song _"Maneater"_ began to play, Juri dashed past the DJ booth towards the head table. She had completely forgotten about the bouquet toss! Searching the head table yielded no results, only the grand bridal bouquet, which was not suitable for tossing.

"Looking for this?"

She turned to see Rose holding a small bouquet filled with her namesake out towards her. The psychic smiled when Juri took the bouquet, gently brushing past her to get to the dance floor.

"I am sorry my dear," she said over her shoulder. "I was just curious about the roses."

"Sure you were," Juri retorted, following the woman to the dance floor. "Keep walking."

The Italian stood near other unmarried women, all eager to catch the bouquet. One of the women was dressed in a very expensive looking red dress, complete with elegant matching gloves. Her long golden hair was styled into oversized ringlets and her lips were curled into a sneer. The target of such an expression was Sakura, and she noticed it, giving a scowl.

"Are you going to steal the bouquet like you stole my outfit Karin? Using cheap tricks?"

"Not this time peasant," she replied bitterly, glaring at her rival. "All I'm concerned about is making sure you don't get your hands on the bouquet."

Quickly the two began to bicker with each other as Juri stood far away from the group of women. She turned her back on them and held the bouquet close to her bosom, ready to be thrown over. She stopped before she did the throw, looking over at Adon. There was something in the lyrics of the song playing that caught her attention.

"Hey sweetie! Did you hear that?"

"Hmm?" Adon dropped his folded arms and took a step forward. "Are you talking about the lyrics to the song?"

"Yeah, it was _'The woman is wild, a she-cat tamed by the purr of a Jaguar'_..." She grinned and returned to looking forward. "I think I just found my song!"

Adon shook his head and smiled, mumbling something about him in relation to an actual jaguar as Juri readied her arm. She stopped again and stood up straight, listening to the concluding lyrics of the verse. The woman the song was referring to only cared for money, and that falling in love with her was a bad idea. Juri need not want for money, seeing as she retained quite a bit from her S.I.N. reign.

"Uh... nevermind," she shouted to Adon, feeling sheepish. "I'll find my song eventually..."

Her husband rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't exactly listening to the lyrics, but they must of gotten to Juri. She shrugged and threw the bouquet over her shoulder, turning around to watch the action.

With a push and a shove, the old high school rivals fell forward, losing their chance to catch the bouquet. Cammy stood behind them with an innocent expression, holding her hands behind her back. Ibuki and Makoto grinned as the bouquet came flying towards them over the heads of Chun-Li and Rose. They both reached up to grab it but were stopped when someone behind them stuck their hand out over their heads, easily catching the flowery bundle.

The hand belonged to a tall and dark African woman with white hair in an elegant white dress. Her arms were decorated with numerous blue, purple, and gold bands. She giggled and looked at the flowers in awe.

"Alright Elena," Deejay cried, clapping his hands, "good job catching that! We don't have a garter toss lined up for 'dis wedding, so you get to choose whoever you want to dance with!"

Elena placed a finger to her lips as she looked around the dance floor, curious to find someone. The rest of the girls got off the dance floor, some of them grumbling, but most of them congratulating the tall woman. Her eyes lit up when she found someone interesting, moving towards Deejay's DJ booth.

Deejay calmly stood up straight and brushed back his hair, expecting to be chosen. If he wasn't smiling at the moment, which he always was, he would be smirking. His smile didn't fade when Elena bent down in front of the DJ booth, but his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. He leaned over the side to see what she was doing and breathed a sigh of relief, and a sigh of rejection.

"Hi there!"

The Brazilian beast-man sitting against the DJ booth raised an eyebrow and nervously wrung his wrists. The only reason he came to this wedding was to see his friends Dan and Sakura. Most of the guests left Blanka as he was, sitting in a corner somewhere in a ripped tuxedo. Something about the African woman's smile comforted him. Usually his mother Samantha had that gift. He smiled sheepishly, showing his yellow teeth.

"Umm... hello..."

"What's your name?" Clearly she was not frightened by Blanka. In some sense his act only poured euphoria into her. Elena placed a hand on her chest and introduced herself. "My name's Elena!"

"...Nice to meet you... Elena." He unconsciously scratched his rear and looked away. "My name... most people call me Blanka... but my friends, Dan and Sakura, call me Jimmy."

"Dan? You mean that silly man over there?"

She pointed at the best man, trapped in a headlock by a very large black man with a yellow mohawk. Despite his position, he was laughing with his captor. Perhaps they had fought each other before and met here on better terms. Blanka looked over at them and chuckled.

"Yes, that is Dan."

Elena placed the bouquet aside and took Blanka's green, clawed hands in her own. She shook them slightly, beaming.

"Come on Jimmy! Dance with me!"

"I-I don't even know how to dance," he mumbled, looking around for support.

"You're silly too! Come on, I'll teach you!"

Adon and Juri watched as the two took center stage. Blanka's sluggish movements were not to be considered actual dancing, but Elena didn't seem to mind. She was in a state of happiness similar to Deejay's, minus the somewhat permanent smile. Blanka himself seemed to be enjoying the company of Elena and seemed to act outgoing, a stark contrast to his behavior earlier.

"After this is the last dance," Adon said to Juri. With a sheepish grin he added, "I think we didn't get to that part in the rehearsal. If we didn't, then we don't have a song lined up."

"Hmm... Don't you worry sweetie, I'll take care of this."

Deejay was still staring at the couple on the dance floor and did not notice Juri leaning over his laptop. Ibuki and Makoto did notice her and walked over to stand behind her, looking over her shoulders. Although she hardly used a computer in the past year, Juri knew much more about them than what Makoto knew, which was just average everyday knowledge. She clicked around until the mouse pointer rested on a song the girls had heard was all the rage then in America.

"_Tik Tok_," Makoto mumbled, reading the text.

"Really Juri?" Ibuki smirked and brushed her dress. "Is this like your theme song or something?"

"Might as well be," Juri replied, adding it to the line-up. "This one speaks to me. In fact... if I change the lyrics a little bit, I can make this song all about me..." She stood up and turned to face the girls. "Alright, let's get to the dance floor and make this one count. We'll send everyone off on a high note!"

* * *

Ken held onto the hand of a very drowsy Mel, looking over at Eliza. She was busy sending her warmest regards to the tired wedding couple as they shook hands with every guest they could. The festivities were finally over, and everyone was leaving. Adon quelled a yawn with his hand, dropping it down afterward to show his satisfied grin. After receiving a farewell from the new Juri Montri, Eliza moved to the doorway.

"Well?" Ken asked, walking with her.

"They'll be fine. Everyone wishes them luck with their marriage and hopes to see them again in a tournament somewhere."

"Best of luck to them. I had fun back there as the MC..." He sighed and added, "I think I'm done with tournaments for some time honey."

Eliza gave him a questionable look and folded her arms.

"Really? I met a young Brazilian in here who was eager to see you in the next martial arts tournament. He even wanted to be your apprentice."

"Did you get a name?" Ken asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Sean, I think he said. Anyway, we should head back to the hotel." She tussled the hair of her child, smiling. "Our little fighter needs some well-deserved sleep."

"Yeah," Ken replied, giving a goofy smile. "Mel needs some sleep too."

"Well," Adon mumbled, watching as the last guest and best man walked out of the reception area, "I think that's the end of it. What do we do now?"

"Now?"

Juri turned to face him. Her hands were on her hips and she wore a seductive smile.

"What do we do now..."

With hearts pounding they locked lips again for what seemed to be the fifth time that day. Juri wrapped her arms around Adon's neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Both players deepened their kisses, pulling away a minute later to catch their breath. Juri grinned and leaned into Adon's ear.

"Don't think we're finished here," she whispered with her left eye glowing slightly. "We have all night baby."

Adon smiled and brought her back into an alluring embrace, whispering into her ear.

"And the rest of our lives, my sweet spider."

* * *

**Author's note: **There. It is complete. I started this fanfic back in the December of 2010, and look at where it ended! I assume most people could write a story like this in a few months, perhaps in half the time it took me to do it. I want to thank all of you who have been following the story up to this point, and I want to thank the people who stopped to give comments/reviews.

Please review. You have no idea the amount of euphoria I feel from having my Ipod beep with glee every time I get a review notice.


	11. Addendum

Adon didn't think of himself as an impatient man. He was calm when fishing, he could hold a conversation with children, and he once sat for hours in a South American jungle just to get a glance at his favorite feline. But when it came to waiting for others, Adon couldn't sit still. He wasn't patient with his old mentor, his fans, and today he was especially impatient with the doctors caring for the one woman he cared about.

It had been more than four days since the incident with Juri Han's old employer, Seth, and Adon was looking forward to seeing the Korean snap out of her coma and shrug off her injuries. With the versatile left eye helping out with the healing process, the Thai fighter expected Juri to be up and talking, but she was still down for the count. Since the day the paramedics brought her in, she had been confined to her gurney and forced to endure IV lines and a supported cast to her left arm. Not once did she stir or whine in protest, and the fact that her left eye was glowing a dull purple didn't make anyone feel any better. She was still alive, though, and Adon had found himself counting the hours until she came to.

While Juri hadn't woken up in five days, Adon tried to remain optimistic about her, and he succeeded. He wasn't comfortable in the hospital, let alone sleeping in the stiff armchair near Juri's bedside, but he tried. Plenty of people had come to see the woman and offer words of encouragement to her, and Adon had been there to hear everything. He witnessed Chun-Li Xiang stop in for a visit along with the American Major, and while they had plenty to say and were grateful that Juri was still amongst the living, the blonde-haired Brit in green fatigues said nothing at all when she visited. Adon considered that strange, but then again, he figured neither of them had gotten the sleep they needed to be personable.

Which was why Adon chose to pass the time by sleeping in his uncomfortable armchair. Most of the time he grew restless and couldn't sleep, even when he had been up at nights to keep an eye out for Juri or had been wandering the halls to tucker himself out. He chuckled when he realized that he was tired yet couldn't sleep; the tell-tale signs of an insomniac. He wasn't one to worry, but Juri Han had a way of making him feel a variety of emotions he wasn't used to. Most of them were good and left a warm feeling in the pit of Adon's stomach that made it easier to relax.

On one uneventful night Adon was getting ready to hunker down in his chair when he noticed something stirring in the room. At first he thought it was just his exhausted mind playing tricks on him, but as he looked on he realized that IV lines were quivering, the gurney was creaking, and the sheets were being disturbed as Juri stirred. Adon remained quiet and motionless as he watched the raven-haired woman give a few tilts of her head before taking a deep breath and letting loose a soft whine of protest. She was coming out of her coma, and not a moment too soon. Adon raised himself up out of his chair and looked on in anticipation as the familiar hum of the Feng Shui Engine died out.

Soon, the patient's eyelids shuddered for a moment before pulling back. Tired violet eyes peered out at nothing from behind heavy eyelids. To Adon, it looked like Juri wasn't there at all, like her body was waking up before her mind could catch up. It begged for concern, but when Adon moved to take action, whatever it was, Juri closed her eyes and made a pained face. She sniveled, whined, and made a move to prop herself up in bed when she cried out in agony.

"J-jenjang," Juri hissed as she tried to move her left arm only to find it was in a cast. Opening her eyes, the woman moved her right hand to hover over her face. "What the hell?"

Adon had heard from the doctors that Juri might be confused when she came out of her coma, and while that may be true, he figured the woman was more agitated than confused. He decided that Juri had every right to be bothered. When the woman looked over at him, he offered a small, tired smile as a greeting.

"Is that..." Juri blinked twice before narrowing her eyes. "Adon?"

"The one and only," Adon replied as he moved over to Juri's bedside. He stood near her and looked her over. "How are you feeling?"

"I could use something to drink. Any water?"

Adon nodded and produced a nearby bottle of water for her. He presented it to her for her to take, but the two just looked at each other in confusion. Seeing as Juri was fresh out of her coma and that she needed time to get her motor functions back, Adon propped her head up and gave her some water. The two remained silent during the exchange, both embarrassed by the situation. After Juri got her fill, she exhaled deeply and watched as Adon sat back in a nearby chair.

"Thank you... I'd do it myself, but I didn't want to chance wetting my bed," Juri explained. "I can feel my feet, but damn, I can't really move much." She mouthed a few words as she looked off in thought. "How long was I out?"

"Good question," Adon mumbled. He clasped his hands together and looked up at a clock on the side of the wall. "I'd say... Six days."

"Only six? Huh." Juri chuckled and looked up at the ceiling. "I guess I oughta count myself lucky I got off so light. I remember my arm getting broken and losing quite a bit of blood. And that move Seth used..."

The memory of Juri laying down in the grass under a pool of her own blood wasn't something Adon wanted to bring up again, and neither was the face of her previous employer. It was by sheer will and determination that Adon was able to defeat Seth, even when he had been distracted by Dan Hibiki prior. The puppetmaster was a vile creature that needed to die not only because he was an abomination but because he had threatened to rip Juri away from the world. He fooled himself into thinking that killing his confidante and taking his creation back would bring back S.I.N., and in his quest for revenge he never once considered that the woman would have the support of friends. It was a mistake that he paid dearly for.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Adon searched for something to divert Juri's attention away from Seth.

"Are you hungry? I'm sure I can find something around other than the slop they serve here," Adon said in a lighthearted tone.

"What happened to Seth?" Juri asked, ignoring his question.

"Juri..." The Korean shot a glare Adon's way. He had no choice but to give in now. "He's dead. I killed him myself."

Juri let loose a weak chuckle as she looked back up at the ceiling.

"Oh good. That's good." She remained silent for a moment before continuing. "They say you shouldn't feel relieved when someone you don't like dies. I say take satisfaction where you can. You did a good thing, Adon."

"I know I did," Adon flippantly replied. "You're still alive, and so am I."

"I'm confined to a bed with who-knows-what running through my veins and a broken arm. I'm slowly starting to feel my legs again." Juri grinned and looked back at Adon. "Beats bein' dead. Anything beats bein' dead."

Juri raised her right hand and held it out for Adon to hold. She wasn't the touchy-feely type, and by all means she wanted to keep it that way, but knowing that she could touch her rescuer helped put her at ease. The Thai fighter reached out and took her hand in his without a word, his thumb gliding over the back of her hand in a comforting fashion. Anything beats being dead when you're able to hold onto the one you love.

"How are the others?" Juri asked.

"Hibiki dislocated his collarbone and got his nose broken, but he's fine. He's trying to ride on the fame he got from helping me defeat Seth, but it doesn't seem to be working out for him," Adon said with an amused laugh. "Kasugano and Makoto are here in the hospital with a few broken bones. They weren't put into a coma like you were."

"And the Lee boys?"

"Battered, bruised, fawning over their girlfriends. The ninja girl, Ibuki, stops by every now and then to check up on everyone."

The thought of Yang waiting on Makoto hand and foot flashed through Juri's mind. She shook her head and sighed, knowing that Makoto's pride would keep the boy at an arm's distance yet her injuries would encourage him to stay in the room for her. The bright colors of some stuffing and confetti attracted Juri's attention and she looked over to her bedside table to see a small basket filled with get well cards. It was Ibuki's work, undoubtedly, as Juri couldn't think of many people who would go out of their way for this kind of thing. She wouldn't be surprised if the cards were all written by different people, either.

"That's a good girl," Juri cooed. Yawning, she looked back at Adon and raised an eyebrow. "You look tired. Don't tell me that you sat in that chair over there for six days straight."

"Well, I walked around a little and went to the bathroom every now and then," Adon replied with a shrug and an embarrassed grimace.

"Pfft... Kept you waiting, huh?" She gave the man's hand a gentle squeeze. "Now, what about you? How are you doing?"

Adon rolled his shoulders and suppressed a wince. While he didn't receive as bad of a beating as Makoto, Sakura, or Juri, he still felt the welts and bruises from his fight with Seth. He counted himself lucky that he didn't get any bones broken in the fight, even if the nurses hounded him to see after his cuts. Cuts and blood loss he could deal with, but a broken bone would ruin him. Plus, Adon really didn't like the idea of Juri being alone in a coma while he was confined to a bed in a different room.

"My body is sore, I'm tired, and there's a large purple bruise on my side, but as you said, it beats being dead." Adon gave a playful tilt of his head. "Besides, how could I die and leave you with Hibiki hovering over you? You coming out of your coma was the best thing to happen to me this week."

"For the sake of sounding corny, I'm really glad you stuck around here just to see me wake up," Juri said with a slight blush. She pulled on Adon's hand for him to come closer. "C'mere."

When Adon obliged and moved closer, Juri slid her hand out and reached for his gaunt chin. Cupping it, she pulled the man down to her lips for a long-awaited kiss. Adon deepened it after a few seconds and let Juri have her way with him before the two pulled away, content and relieved after many days of unease and unconsciousness. A playful twinkle appeared in Juri's eye, and she made a move to prop herself up and get another kiss when the door to the room opened. The two didn't leave their positions as they looked to the door.

A nurse who took care of Juri during her stay in the hospital looked on with a startled yet overjoyed expression. She gasped at the sight of Juri conscious, blushed at what she was doing with her visitor, and left soon thereafter only to return with a young doctor. Caressing the side of Adon's face, Juri whispered a few words of encouragement into his ear and gave him another peck on the cheek.

"Time for boring medical stuff. Go take care of yourself, Adon. I'll be fine," Juri reassured him as she released him from her grasp.

"Are you sure?"

"Mhmm. Now go on, get out of here and get something to eat."

Adon knew better by now than to doubt Juri. After all that they had gone through, after all the toying, pain and joy they had experienced, Adon never felt close to anyone other than her. They were fighters, and even if they were both battered and bruised and left coughing up blood, they would at least always have each other. The Thai man nodded and got up to gather some of his things from his chair before moving to the door. Yet, as he stepped foot out of the door, he paused in the doorway and looked over his shoulder at Juri.

"Say," Adon started, ripping Juri's attention away from the doctor and nurse, "when you get out of this place and get that arm of yours fixed up, how about a little sparring session? I have yet to get you back for that one fight."

Juri blinked before narrowing her eyes in a knowing fashion.

"Why, Mr. Montri, are you asking me out on a date?"

"Well now, that depends on how fast you heal up, but yes," Adon replied with his trademark grin. "A date."

He patted the side of the doorway once before moving away, leaving Juri with a pleased smile and plans for the future.

* * *

**4/27/2014 Author's Note: **I apologize if the subscription alert directs you somewhere else. I just wanted to get this chapter out of my mind and on 'paper' before my iPod ate things up.


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